461 
B7 


THE 

AMERICAN    BIRD   FANCIER; 


CONSIDERED    WITH 


REFERENCE  TO  THE  BREEDING,  REARING,  FEEDING, 
MANAGEMENT,  AND  PECULIARITIES 


or 
CAGE   AND   HOUSE   BIRDS; 

WITH   REMARKS   OX  THEIR 
DISEASES    AND    REMEDIES; 

DRAWN  FROM  AUTHENTIC  SOURCES  AND  PERSONAL  OBSERVATION. 


. 

BY    D.   J.    BROWNE, 

AUTHOR   OF   THK    8YLVJL   AMERICANA,   THI   AMERICAN   POULTRY   YARD, 
ETC.,  ETC. 


NEW-YORK: 
ORANGE    JUDD    &    COMPANY, 


Kntered  according  to  Act  of  Congress  in  the  year  1850,  by 

CHARLES    M.   SAXTON, 

In  (he  Clerk's  Office  of  the  District  Court  of  the  United  States  fur  the  Southern 
District  of  New  York. 


INDEX. 


FACES. 

BIPDS,  Breeding  of  /. 16  Mavy,  Red 


Food  of 11 


Habitation  of 9  Mocking  Bird 


ng  of 8 

Young  of,  Time  for  Removing 

from  the  Nest 16 

Blackbird.  European  70 

Skunk 73 

Bob-o-link 73 

Bimtini,',  Rice 73 

Biitu-r  liird 73 

Canary  Bird 26 

Cat  Bird 67 

DlMMI  of  Tame  Birds. ...  16,  39,  50,  59,  72 

Asthma 17 

Atrophy,  or  Wasting 10 

Bloody  Flux 20 

Consumption 19 

Costiveness 20 

Diarrhoea 20 


Obstruction  of  the  Rump  Gland  21 

of  the  Feet 22  Reod  Bird 

Pairing  Fever 24  Rice  Bird 

Parasitic  Vermin '.4 


Pip,  or  Thrush 17 

Rheum 17  Robin,  American 

Sore  Eyes   23 


PAGES. 

65 


Meadow  Bird 65 


60 

French 65 

Pigeon,  Barb 94 

Biset 85 

Broad  or  Fan-tailed  Shaker. ...  81 

Capuchin 93 

Carrier 88 

Dragoon  92 

Helmet 96 

Horseman 89 

Jacobin,  or  Jack 92 

Mawmet,  or  Mahomet 93 

Nun 95 

Pouter 90 

Rock 81 

Tumblers 86 

Turbit 94 

White-rumped 81 


Epilepsy 21  Quail,  European  . .". 104 

Moulting 23  Raven 77 


Red  Polo 46 

73 


Tumors  and  Ulcers  23  Thrasher 

Tympany,  or  Bloating 2-2  Thrush,  Brown. 


Bunt  inur 73 

Troopial 73 

Redbreast  . . 


Unnatural  Fatness '25 

Vertigo,  or  Giddiness 24 

Dove,  Wild  81 

Goldiinch 41 

American 51  .Thistle  Finch 

Linnet 46i Yellow  Bird . 


, 65 

Ferruginous 65 

Red-breasted  ..'.!...!.!!!.!!!!  54 

Song 57 

41 

51 


ILLUSTRATIONS. 


FAGIS. 

Aerie 100  Pigeon,  Dragoon 

Aviary  (Vignette) 5 

Bultinch  (Vignette  on  Title). 

Cages  for  Breeding 15,  32 

Canaries  and  Nest 28 

Canary-Bird  Cage 37 

Dove,  Wild 82 

Goldfinch 43 

Linnet 47 

Cage 49 


PAGES. 


Horseman 90 

Houses 98 

Jacobin,  or  Jack 93 

Pouter 90 

Ring  (Vignette) 81 

Rock 82 

Shaker,  Broad-tailed 85 

Tumbler,  Bald-pated 87 

Turbit  95 


Pigeon,  Bald-pated  Tumbler 85  Quail,  European * 105 

Barb 94|Raven 78 

Broad  or  Fan-tailed  Shaker  ...  85  Robin,  European 55 

Carrier 88,Thrush,  Song 58 


M1402B6 


ADVERTISKM: 


IN  issuing  the  present  little  treatise,  the  publisher  would  sa    a  word  rr-p. 
character  and  the  manner  in  which  it  has  been  compos*  •  .    He  is  fully  :t\\ar<-  of 
the  limited  nature  of  the  work,  when  compared  with  the  boundless  science  of  which 
it  forma  a  part,  and  would  have  cheerfully  extended  the  subject  had  he  believed  the 
wanta  and  economy  of  the  American  public  required  it.    To  those  win. 
to  pursue  the  subject,  he  would  recommend  the  more  elaborate  uvuli-*-.*  of  Auduhon, 
Wilson,  Bonaparte,  Nuttall,aitd  lK-kay,  for  American  birds,  and  particularly  li.e  works 
of  Dr.  Bechstein  for  the  birds  of  Europe. 

An  intimate  knowledge  of  Natural  History,  being  an  enthusiastic  lover  of  tho 
feathered  tribes,  having  been  familiar  with  them  from  his  earliest  childhood,  has 
well  qualified  Mr.  Browne  for  writing  this  and  if  necessary,  an  extensive  work.  He 
will  doubtless  bo  recollected  by  many  as  the  editor  of  w  The  Naturalist,"  a  monthly 
periodical,  published  in  Boston  some  twenty  years  ago,  and  more  recently  as  the 
author  of  the  M  American  Poultry  Yard"  and  of  a  treatise  on  American 
Within  the  above-named  period,  ho  has  travelled  and  resided  for  a  considerable 
time  in  various  parts  of  North  and  South  America,  the  West  Indies,  Europe,  and 
Western  Africa,  (having  passed  several  months  at  the  Canary  Islands,)  for  the  express 
purpose  of  investigating,  among  other  objects,  the  natural  features  of  th  **  countries, 
where  he  had  ample  opportunities  for  »tudying  Uie  habits  of  birds  both  in  a  state  of 
nature,  and  in  confinement,  the  most  advantageous  means  of  procuring  them,  and  tho 
proper  mode  of  feeding  and  maintaining  them  in  health. 

In  order  that  the  author  may  not  be  accused  of  the  reproach  of  wearing  u  bor- 
rowed plumes,"  it  is  hereby  candidly  confessed  that  he  has  made  a  free  use  of  thu 
writings  of  Audubon,  Nuttall,  and  particularly  those  of  Dr.  Hechstein,  as  well  as  of  the 
u  Boy's  Treasury  of  Sports,"  without  giving  them,  in  numerous  instances,  such  credit 
as  tho  punctilious  critic  would  seem  to  demand.  Be  thia  as  it  may,  the  author  has 
endeavored  not  to  deviate  from  established  custom,  except  in  cases  where  he  deemed 
U  expedient  to  change  the  language,  in  part,  for  the  sake  of  brevity,  elucidai 
slmcricaHtniHg  the  subject,  or  adapting  it  to  our  climate,  economy,  and  social  con* 
dilion.  Much  of  the  matter,  however,  and  several  of  the  illustrations,  he  claims  to 
be  original. 

The  publisher,  therefore,  confidently  presents  the  tt  American  Bird  Fancier"  to 
the  public  with  the  full  belief  that  it  container  such  information  on  the  subject,  m  the 
taste  and  economy  of  our  fab  •ountry  women  and  their  children  require. 

O.  M.  SAXTON. 


New  YORK,  Martk  90,  1850. 


F? 

££»• 


IRDS,  from  their  elegant  and 
beautiful  coloring,  the  graceful  ease 
of  their  flight,  their  varied  music, 

their  tender  solicitude  for  their  young,  their  singular  and 
engaging  instincts,  their  susceptibility  of  domestication,  and 
their  subserviency  to  the  sustenance  of  man,  have,  for  ages 
past,  attracted  universal  admiration,  and,  as  objects  of  human 
interest,  nnd  even  affection,  they  stand  foremost,  perhaps,  in 
*he  entire  range  of  animated  nature. 

480 


*Thj)  .structure  of  Iblrds  and  their  habits  of  life,  are  wonder- 
fully  ad,ap£e<J,  io.  the  yartaus  functions  tney  are  destined  to 
pdrJbrnu  {  The-  poinie<L*fceafc,  the  long  and  pliant  neck,  the 
gently-swelling'  shoulder,  the  expansive  wings,  the  tapering 
tail,  the  light  and  bony  feet,  are  all  wisely  calculated  to  assist 
and  accelerate  their  motion  through  the  yielding  air.  E\vry 
part  of  their  frame  is  formed  for  lightness  and  buoyancy;  tin  ir 
bodies  are  covered  with  a  soft  and  delicate  plumage,  so  dis- 
posed as  to  protect  them  from  the  intense  cold  of  the  atmosphere 
through  which  they  pass;  their  wings  arc  made  of  the  lightest 
materials,  and  yet,  tin  force  with  which  they  strike  the  air  i* 
so  great,  as  to  impel  their  bodies  forward  with  astonishing 
rapidity,  while  the  tail  serves  as  a  rudder  to  direct  them  to  the 
different  objects  of  their  pursuit. 

The  internal  structure  of  birds  is  no  less  wisely  adapted  to 
the  same  purposes.  Their  lungs  have  several  openings,  com- 
municating with  corresponding  air  bags,  or  cells,  which  lill 
the  whole  cavity  of  the  body  from  ti  •*  neck  downwards,  and 
into  which  the  air  passes  and  re-pat  es,  in  the  process  of 
breathing.  This  is  not  all ;  their  very  bones  are  hollowed  out 
with  the  design  of  receiving  air  from  the  lungs,  from  which 
air  pipes  arc  conveyed  to  the  most  solid  parts  of  the  body,  and 
even  into  the  quills  and  plumelets  of  the  feathers  which  ar«- 
hollow  or  spongy  for  its  reception.  As  all  these  hollow  parts 
as  well  as  the  cells,  are  only  open  on  the  side  communicating 
with  the  lungs,  the  bird  requires  only  to  take  in  a  full  breath 
to  f  11  and  distend  its  whole  body  with  air,  which,  in  conse- 
quence of  the  considerable  heat  of  its  body,  is  rendered  much 
lighter  than  the  air  of  the  atmosphere.  By  forcing  this  air  out 
of  the  body  again,  the  weight  becomes  so  much  increased,  that 
birds  of  a  large  size  can  dart  down  from  great  heights  in  the 
air  with  astonishing  rapidity. 

This  almost  universal  diffusion  of  air  in  the  bodies  of  birds 
is  of  infinite  use  to  them,  not  only  in  these  long  and  laborious 
flights,  but  likewise  in  preventing  their  respiration  frcm  being 
stopped  or  interrupted  by  the  rapidity  of  their  motion  through 
i  a  resisting  medium.  Were  it  possible  for  man  to  move  with 

ft* • *& 


INTRODUCTION.  7 

the  swiftness  of  a  swallow,  the  actual  resistance  of  Jie  air  as 
he  ie  not  provided  with  internal  reservoirs  similar  to  those  of 
birds,  would  soon  suffocate  him 

The  digestive  organs  of  birds  ibrm  them  into  two  distinct 
natural  classes;  those  with  cartilaginous  stomachs,  covereu 
with  very  strong  muscles,  called  a  gizzard',  and  those  with 
membranous  stomachs  more  resembling  those  of  carnivorous 
quadrupeds.  The  former  is  given  to  birds,  the  principal  food 
nf  which  is  grain  and  seeds  of  various  kinds,  or  other  hard  sub- 
stances that  require  much  friction  to  divide,  or  comminute,  to 
assist  which,  gravel  is  necessary;  the  latter  is  given  to  birds 
which  feed  upon  flesh  or  fish,  and  whose  digestion  is  accele- 
rated more  by  the  gastric  juice  than  by  the  action  of  the 
stomach.  Those  of  the  first  class  digest  or  retain  every  sub- 
stance swallowed;  and  those  which  eject  or  disgorge  innu- 
tritious  matter  unavoidably  taken  in,  such  as  feathers,  fur, 
bones,  &c.,  belong  to  the  second  class,  as  is  conspicuous  in 
those  that  feed  on  fish.  Graminivorous  birds  seem  to  possess 
the  power  of  retaining  the  small  stones  taken  into  the  gizzard, 
or  evacuating  them,  when  they  become  polished  and  less 
useful,  but  cannot  disgorge  them.  In  a  state  of  nature,  the 
quantity  of  gravel  taken  in,  must  be  regulated,  no  doubt,  by  the 
sensation  of  the  stomach ;  but,  wonderful  as  it  may  seem,  in 
domesticated  animals,  those  instinctive  faculties  are  deranged. 
Instances  frequently  occur  where  the  whole  cavity  of  the 
gizzard  is  filled  with  gravel  stones.  The  food  of  graminivorous 
birds  is  conveyed  entire  into  the  first  stomach,  or  craw,  where 
it  undergoes  a  partial  dilution  by  a  liquor  secreted  from  the 
glands,  and  spread  over  its  surface.  It  is  then  received  into 
another  species  of  stomach,  where  it  is  still  further  diluted, 
after  which  it  is  transmitted  into  Vhe  gizzard,  or  true  stomach, 
consisting  of  two  very  strong  muscles,  externally  covered  with 
a  tendinous  substance,  and  lined  with  a  thick  membrane  of 
prodigious  power  and  strength,  in  which  organ  the  food  is  com- 
pletely triturated,  and  prepared  for  the  operation  of  the  gastric 
juices. 

Graminivorous  birds  partake  much  of  the  nature  and  dispo- 


8  INTRODUCTION. 

sition  of  herbivorous  quadrupeds,  agreeing  with  them  in  the 
number  of  their  stomachs,  the  quality  of  their  food,  and  the 
gentleness  of  their  manners.  Content  with  the  seeds  of  plants, 
with  fruits,  insects,  and  worms,  their  principal  attention  is 
directed  to  procuring  food,  hatching  and  rearing  their  offspring, 
and  eluding  the  snares  of  men  and  the  attacks  of  predao  <»u> 
animals.  The  stomachs  of  carnivorous  birds  are  smaller 
than  those  of  the  graminivorous  kinds,  and  their  intestines 
are  much  shorter.  Many  species  of  birds  possess  a  reservoir 
for  food,  called  a  cra?r,  or  crop,  which  seems  to  answer  the 
same  purpose  as  the  first  stomach  of  ruminating  animals. 
Here  it  is  that  the  food  is  softened  and  prepared  for  the 
stomach,  or  carried  to  the  young. 


THE  SONG  OF  BIRDS. 

THE  song  of  birds  is  always,  if  not  the  expression  of  love,  at 
least  that  of  pleasure.  Thus,  the  nightingale  sings  only  as 
long  as  pairing  time  or  hatching  lasts,  and  is  silent  as  soon  as 
it  is  compelled  to  feed  its  young;  whereas,  the  goldfinch  and 
Canary  sing  throughout  the  year,  and  only  cease  when  moult- 
ing dejects  them.  The  continuation  of  the  song  of  these  birds, 
however,  by  no  means  proves  that  it  is  not  occasioned  by  the 
stimulus  of  love. 

Song  appears  to  be  the  especial  privilege  of  the  male, 
whereby  it  cither  attracts  the  female  or  seeks  to  obtain  her 
love;  for  there  arc  but  few  females  which  produce  notes 
similar  to  the  song  of  the  male,  and  these  almost  exclusively 
in  a  state  of  widowhood.  They  listen  attentively,  in  fact,  to 
the  greater  or  less  perfection  or  charm  of  the  song  of  the  male, 
to  bestow  upon  that  one  their  love  whom  they  esteem  the  most 
accomplished  singer.  Thus,  the  most  sprightly  hen  Canary 
selects  the*  best  singer;  and  the  chaffinch,  when  at  liberty,  will 
choose  from  amonc:  a  hundred  males  the  one  whose  song  bes1 
pleases  her. 


INTRODUCTION. 


HABITATION  OF  CAGE  OR  CHAMBER  BIRDS. 

BIRDS  which  are  kept  only  on  account  of  their  beauty,  or  for 
their  animation  and  vivacity,  are  generally  kept  best  in  a  room 
where  they  ca:i  run  or  fly  freely  about,  and  where  they  can 
resort  at  night  for  repose,  to  a  large  cage  of  many  compart- 
ments, or  to  one  or  more  fir  trees.  But  larger  birds  should 
have  an  apartment  expressly  appropriated  to  them,  as  their 
faeces  smell  unpleasantly  in  a  dwelling  room,  whence  also  they 
require  constant  cleaning.  Smaller  birds  may  be  allowed  to 
run  freely  about,  having  a  small  tree  or  a  cage  hung  up  for 
them  to  roost  in.  With  this  degree  of  liberty,  many  birds  sing 
better  than  when  confined  in  a  cage. 

Cleanliness  is  in  every  respect  very  important  in  keeping 
birds,  for  they  arc  not  only  thereby  preserved  for  many  years 
but  it  keeps  them  constantly  healthy  and  cheerful ;  hence  it  is 
necessary  that  the  cage  should  be  cleaned  at  least  once  a-week, 
and  birds  which  run  about  upon  the  ground,  should  have  the 
sand  renewed  frequently ;  the  perches  also  of  such  as  use  them 
should  be  carefully  cleaned.  If  this  be  not  attended  to,  the 
birds  will  become  sickly,  and  will  suffer  from  lame  feet,  gout, 
and  other  maladies,  terminating  in  the  loss  of  their  toes,  as  all 
must  have  experienced  who  have  been  accustomed  to  keep 
birds,  and  have  neglected  cleansing  them.  In  cleaning  their 
feet,  it  is  very  requisite  that  the  bird  should  have  them  dipped 
in  water  before  the  dirt  is  removed ;  for  if  this  be  not  done,  the 
skin,  to  which  the  dirt  closely  adheres,  comes  off  with  it,  which 
renders  the  bird  not  merely  lame,  but  also  attracts  to  the  part 
all  the  unhealthy  humors  generated  by  their  unnatural  mode 
of  living. 

It  is  in  the  feet  indeed  that  cage  or  chamber  birds  chiefly 
suffer,  and  they  must  be  daily  examined  to  see  that  nothing 
gets  entangled  about  them,  as  hair  thus  twisted  will  frequently 
cut  very  deep,  and  in  the  course  of  a  few  days,  that  portion  of 
the  foot  or  4.oc,  so  tied  up,  will  dry  up  and  fall  off.  Very  great 


€ 

10  INTRODUCTION. 

attention  must  be  paid  to  this  particular  circumstance,  as 
scarcely  a  bi;d  can  be  preserved  for  any  length  of  time  with 
all  its  toes  uninjured.  It  is  not  to  be  denied,  however,  that 
many  birds  keep  themselves  exceedingly  neat,  whilst  others, 
even  of  the  same  genus,  are  so  uncleanly,  that  they  are  not 
only  always  soiling  themselves,  but  never  clean  their  feet, 
beak,  nor  wings. 

Some  bird  fanciers  take  delight  in  making  birds  so  tame  as 
to  be  taken  upon  the  hand  into  the  open  air,  or  to  be  allowed 
to  fly  away  and  come  back  again  upon  a  call.  "One  of  my 
friends,"  says  Dr.  Bechstcin,  "  who  has  tamed  birds  as  well  as 
otters,  adders,  foxes,  weasels,  and  martins,  so  that  they  would 
follow  him  upon  a  sign  given,  adopts  the  following  easy  and 
certain  method  to  effect  it: — When  he  wishes  to  accustom  a 
bird  to  fly  abroad,  or  to  go  out  with  him  perched  upon  his 
finger  or  his  shoulder,  he  first  teases  it  with  a  soft  feather  in 
its  cage  which  stands  open.  The  bird  soon  snaps  at  the  feather, 
and  then  at  his  finger,  and  it  will  then  come  out  of  the  cage,  ami 
perch  upon  the  extended  finger;  he  immediately  strokes  it, 
and  lays  a  few  choice  morsels  before  it.  These,  the  bird  will 
soon  take  out  of  the  hand  itself.  He  then  commences  by 
familiarising  the  bird  with  some  peculiar  call  or  whistle,  and 
he  carries  it,  as  soon  as  it  permits  itself  to  be  grasped  in  the 
hand,  placed  upon  his  hand  or  shoulder,  from  chamber  to 
chamber,  taking  care  to  close  the  doors  and  windows ;  he  then 
suffers  it  to  fly,  and  calls  it  back  again.  As  soon  as  it  attends 
to  this  call  without  being  scared  or  frightened,  he  takes  it 
cautiously  into  the  open  air,  and  thus  the  bird  becomes 
gradually  so  accustomed  to  him  that  he  can  carry  it  abroad  or 
into  company  without  its  offering  to  fly  away." 

Care,  however,  must  be  taken  not  to  carry  adult  birds,  which 
have  been  thus  tamed,  into  the  open  air  where  they  can  hear 
their  fellows,  in  the  spring  or  at  pairing  time,  which  arc 
usually  the  periods  when  they  show  indications  of  resuming 
their  native  wildness. 

If  it  is  wished  to  teach  a  bird  to  eat  out  of  ihc  mouth,  it 
must  be  kept  for  a  time  in  the  cage  without  food,  and  then 


INTRODUCTION.  1 1 

when  sitting  upon  the  finger  its  favorite  food  must  be  held  to 
it  upon  the  tip  of  the  exteded  tongue.  Hunger  soon  teaches  it 
to  peck.  Such  tame  birds  learn,  also,  speedily  to  sing  upon  the 
finger.  To  accomplisL  this,  nothing  more  is  necessary  than 
to  induce  it  by  certain  tones,  motions,  and  fondling.  But  it 
is  still  further  requisite  to  observe  in  this  process  of  taming, 
that,  to  be  effectual,  it  should  be  continued  for  a  longer  time 
«thun  is  here  laid  down.  May  we  not  presume  that  the  bird 
will,  in  the  course  of  a  few  weeks,  do  that  freely  4vhich  has 
been  taught,  or  rather  forced  upon  it,  in  this  short  space  of 
time. 


FOOD  OF  TAME  BIRDS. 

IN  selecting  the  food  of  fcirds  in  confinement,  it  is  requisite 
to  do  so,  as  far  as  is  practicable,  in  accordance  with  the  nature 
of  its  food  in  a  natural  state.  This,  indeed,  is  frequently 
difficult,  if  not  wholly  impossible.  Great  caution,  therefore, 
must  be  observed  to  accustom  the  birds  we  keep,  or  rather 
their  stomachs,  by  degrees,  to  the  food  we  are  compelled  to 
supply  them,  although  it  cannot  be  denied  that  there  are 
birds,  also,  which,  as  soon  as  they  arc  placed  in  the  aviary,  eat 
anything  that  is  given  to  them.  But  others  are  more  deli- 
cate, and  will  not  eat  at  all,  partly  from  grief  at  the  loss  of 
their  liberty,  and  partly  from  not  finding  the  food  they  have 
been  accustomed  to.  Great  care  must  therefore,  be  taken  of 
these.  If  such  as  arc  known  to  be  delicate — the  majority  of 
singing  birds — for  instance,  commence  greedily  eating  as  soon 
as  they  are  placed  in  the  chamber,  it  is  a  bad  sign ;  for  they 
will  certainly  die,  as  ic  implies  an  unnatural  indifference  to  the 
loss  of  their  liberty,  which  is  almost  always  deducible  from 
sickliness.  Those  which  creep  into  corners  and  seem  for 
some  hours  to  pine,  it  is  less  necessary  to  be  anxious 
about;  but  they  must  not  be  disturbed  until  their  ill-humor 
subsides. 

Dr.  l\Je;  er,  of  Offenbach,  Germany,  remarks  as  follows  upon 


12  IXTKODUCTIOX. 

this  subject : — "An  almost  unfailing  mode  of  accustoming  birds 
to  their  food,  which  is  known  to  be  extremely  difficult  in  iinny, 
is  thus:  Let  tjie  bird  be  placed  in  a  cage  in  the  room  when-  it 
is  purposed  to  be  kept;  give  it  freely  appropriate  food  and 
drink  in  open  vessels;  leave  it  thus  undisturbed  for  «<• 
hours;  then  catch  it  and  dip  it  in  fresh  water,  and  again  pi-ice 
it  in  its  former  cage.  It  will  \\o\v  sit  for  some  moi. 
thoroughly  exhausted,  but  will  soon  recover  and  begin  pn  '-n* 
ing  itsclffand  in  the  course  of  a  few  minutes  become  extrein  I  y 
animated,  and  then  it  will  certainly  eat  the  food  put  before  it. 
Doubtless  the  same  cause  produces  an  appetite  in  birds  after 
bathing  as  in  man." 

In  order  to  give  some  general  rules  for  the  best  food  of  <MIM- 
or  house  birds,  I  have  divided  them,  after  Dr.  Bechstein,  into 
fo:ir  following  classes: — 

The  first  comprehends  those  birds  which  live  only  on  sreds, 
such  as  Canaries,  goldfinches,  Siskins,  &c. 

The  second  arc  those  which  feed  both  on  seeds  and  insects, 
such  as  quails,  larks,  cat  birds,  and  mocking  birds;  some  of 
these  also  eat  the  buds  and  berries  of  trees. 

The  third  are  those  which  seek  only  berries  and  insects, 
such  as  nightingales,  redbreasts,  thrushes,  and  th<  like. 

The  fourth  are  those  which  cat  insects  only,  such  as  w.-ig- 
tails,  woodpeckers,  cuckoos,  &c. 

The  birds  in  the  last-named  class  are  the  most  difficult  to 
preserve;  but  most  of  them,  having  nothing  particular  in  their 
song,  offer  but  little  compensation  for  the  trouble  and  care 
which  they  require. 

RECIPE  FOR  A  GENERAL  FOOD. — In  proportion  to  the  number  of 
birds,  white  bread  enough  must  be  baked  to  last  for  three 
months.  When  it  is  well  baked  and  stale,  it  must  be  put  «-u  .1  in 
into  the  oven,  and  left  there  until  cold.  It  is  then  fit  to  be 
pounded  in  a  mortar,  and  will  keep  several  months  \\  thout 
becoming  bad.  Every  day  a  teaspoonful  for  each  bird  is  taken 
of  this  meal,  on  which  is  poured  three  times  as  much  cold,  or 
lukewarm,  (but  not  boiling,)  milk.  If  the  meal  be  good,  a  firm 
paste  will  be  formed,  which  must  be  chopped  very  small  on  a 
• . 


INTRODUCTION. 


13 


board.  This  paste,  which  is  very  nourishing,  may  be  kept  a 
long  time  without  becoming  sour  or  sticky;  on  the  contrary,  it 
is  always  dry  and  brittle.  As  soon  as  a  delicate  bird  is 
brought  in,  some  flies  or  chopped  worms  should  be  mixed  with 
the  paste,  which  will  attract  it  to  eat.  It  will  soon  be  accus- 
tomed to  this  food,  which  will  keep  it  in  life  and  health. 

Although  the  notice  of  a  universal  remedy  is  generally 
suspicious,  the  two  following  sorts  of  paste  have  been  recom- 
mended, and  used  with  success,  agreeing  well  with  all,  or* 
nearly  all,  tamed  birds,  if  we  except  those  which  are  con- 
fined in  cages  on  account  of  their  beautiful  songs.  They  are 
not  only  very  simple  and  cheap,  but  also  prevent  great  loss  of 
time  to  those  who  possess  a  great  number  of  birds. 

UNIVERSAL  PASTE. — To  make  the  first  paste,  take  a  white  loaf 
which  is  well  baked  and  stale ;  put  it  into  fresh  water,  and 
leave  it  there  until  quite  soaked  through ;  then  squeeze  out  the 
water  and  pour  boiled  milk  over  the  loaf,  adding  about  two 
thirds  the  quantityof  barley  meal  with  the  bran  well  sifted  out, 
or,  what  is  still  better,  wheat  meal. 

For  the  second  paste,  grate  a  carrot  very  nicely  (this  root 
may  be  kept  nearly  a  whole  year  if  buried  in  sand) ;  then  soak  a 
small  white  loaf  in  fresh  water,  press  the  water  out,  and  put  it 
and  the  grated  carrot  into  an  earthen  pan;  add  two  handfuls  of 
barley  or  wheat  meal,  and  mix  the  whole  well  together  with  a 
pestle. 

These  pastes  should  be  made  fresh  every  morning,  as  they 
soon  become  sour,  particularly  the  first,  and  consequently 
hurtful. 

Every  morning,  fresh  water  must  be  given  to  the  birds,  both 
for  drinking  and  bathing.  When  a  great  many  are  left  at 
liberty,  one  dish  will  do  for  them  all,  about  eight  inches  long, 
and  two  in  width  and  depth,  divided  into  several  partitions, 
by  which  means  they  are  prevented  from  plunging  entirely 
into  the  water,  and  in  consequence  making  the  place  always 
dirty  and  damp.  A  vessel  of  the  same  size  and  shape  will 
do  for  holding  the  universal  paste,  but  then  it  must  fcave  no 
partitions.  ^ 


-.- 

1  4  INTRODUCTION. 


birds  whijh  devour  everything  thrown  to  them,  must 
be  protected  against  the  possibility  of  having  any  food  given 
to  them  that  contains   pepper  or  much  salt,  and  especially 
against  putrid  meat.    This  is  a  universal  rule  of  precaution. 
It  may  further  be  observed,  that  to  birds  confined  in  c, 
no  more  must  be  given  than  they  can  eat  during  the  day 
otherwise  they  will  accustom  themselves  to  scatter  their  food 
out  of  the  vessel,  and  eat  the  best  first,  leaving  the  wor-' 
•subsequent   fare;    and    are    consequently    to-day   well,    and 
drooping  to-morrow. 


BREEDING. 

THERE  is  but  little  to  be  said  of  the  breeding  of  bir'.s  in 
confinement,  as,  in  the  majority  of  cases,  it  is  difficult  to  accom- 
plish, excepting  in  such  as  can  be  thoroughly  fainiliurU-d. 
like  Canaries.  Of  breeding  places,  there  ar,c  two  kinds,  one  a 
large,  cage  made  of  wire  or  wood,  and  the  other  the  on  tire 
range  of  a  room.  Both  should  be  dry,  airy,  and  exposed  in 
our  northern  climate  to  the  warmth  and  light  of  the  sun.  It  is 
chiefly  requisite  to  supply  birds  that  are  to  breed  with  a  still, 
solitary,  and  spacious  abode;  and  it  is  preferable  to  give  tin  -in 
an  entire  apartment  in  which  evergreens  are  placed  that  have 
not  lost  their  leaves.  Above  all  things,  it  is  desirable  to  i 
this  abode  as  nearly  resemble  their  natural  dwelling  place  as 
possible,  that  they  may  be  excited  to  pair.  With  every  care, 
however,  to  render  their  breeding  place  like  the  natural  one, 
it  is  difficult  to  supply  them  with  the  necessary  materials  fur 
their  nests.  This  deficiency  should  be  supplied  by  nests  arti- 
ficially formed  of  woven  cotton,  willow,  straw,  or  turned  wood, 
into  which  they  will  only  have  to  convey  appropriate  linings; 
for  this  purpose,  they  must  be  supplied  with  the  hair  of  animab 
and  raw  silk,  cotton,  wool,  &c. 

Especial  care  must  be  taken  to  furnish  the  birds  with 
requisite  food,  which  partly  contributes  to  fit  old  ones  for 
brooding,  and  which  must  also  be  suited  to  the  varying 



INTRODUCTION. 


15 


ap's  of  the  reared  young.  In  this  particular,  I  shall  mention 
what  must  be  done,  in  the  articles  relating  to  the  different 
species  described  in  the  subsequent  part  of  this  work. 


BREEDING    CA.GK. 


16  INTRODUCTION*. 


TIME  FOR  REMOVING  WILD  BIRDS  FROM  1HE  NEST. 

IT  may  be  necessary  that  I  should  give  some  general  direc- 
tions about  the  time  at  which  it  is  desirable  to  remove  young 
wild  birds,  intended  to  be  reared,  from  the  nest.  This  is  whi-n 
the  tail  quills  shoot  forth,  and  when  all  the  feathers  begin  to 
expand,  and  before  the  birds  can  yet  completely  open  their 
eyes.  If  they  arc  removed  earlier,  their  stomachs  are  too  « 
to  endure  the  food  of  the  aviary,  and  if  it  take  place  later,  it  is 
usually  extremely  difficult  to  induce  them  to  open  their  b<-uk< 
to  receive  food  with  which  they  are  unacquainted.  Bui  then' 
are  species  of  birds  which  can  at  all  times  be  easily  fed  and 
tamed.  As  a  general  rule,  all  seed-eating  birds  may  be 
tami-d,  both  adult  and  young. 


DISEASES  OF  TAME  BIRDS. 

•  • 

LIKE  all  tame  animals,  birds  that  are  kept  in  confinement, 
are  exposed  to  more  maladies  than  those  which  live  at  large;* 
and  especially  as  they  arc  frequently  so  closely  confined  in 
cages  that  they  have  scarcely  room  to  move.  These  malad i>  •  . 
however,  are  considerably  increased  by  their  having  all  kinds 
of  delicacies,  as  pastry,  sugar,  &c.,  given  them,  which  spoil 
their  stomachs  and  usually  produce  a  slow  consumption. 

The  following  are  the  chief  maladies  which  affect  birds,  and 
their  remedies,  as  laid  down  by  Dr.  Bechstein,  the  efficiency 
of  which  he  proved  upon  his  own.  Indeed,  the  variety  of  birds, 
as  well  as  the  variety  of  their  food,  requires  also  a  difference 
of  treatment  in  their  maladies ;  and  in  speaking  of  each  species, 
I  shall  have  occasion  to  notice  how  their  peculiar  diseases  may 
be  treated,  when  the  general  remedies  are  not  suitable  to  their 
nature. 

•  It  liift  been  frequently  asserted  that  birds  in  their  natural  state  ore  never  ill,  but 
this  is  unfounded. 


INTRODUCTION.  17 

PIF.  OR  THRUSH. — This  is  a  catarrh,  or  cold,  by  which  the 
nostrils  are  stopped  up,  and  the  membrane  covering  the  tongue 
is  hardened  by  inflammation.  In  large  birds,  it  is  common  to 
remove  this  skin,  taking  it  off  from  the  base  to  the  tip;  but 
rough  modes  should  not  be  used  for  doing  it.  A  little  borax, 
dissolved  in  water,  may  be  applied  to  the  tongue  with  a  camel- 
hair  pencil  two  or  three  times  a-day  until  a  healthy  action  is 
produced.  By  this  means,  this  part  can  again  perspire,  the 
saliva  necessary  for  digestion  can  flow,  and  the  taste  and  appe- 
tite return.  A  mixture  of  fresh  butter,  pepper,  and  garlic, 
generally  cures  this  catarrh.  It  is  a  good  thing,  also,  for 
the  birds  to  drink  the  pectoral  infusion  of  speedwell 
(Veronica  nfflcinalis} ;  and  the  nostrils  may  be  opened  by 
passing  up  a  small  feather  dipped  in  oil.  The  ruffling  of 
the  head,  the  beak  often  open  and  yellow  at  its  base,  and 
the  tongue  dry,  are  the  most  decisive  indications  of  this 
disease. 

RHEUM. — The  symptoms  of  this  disease  arc  frequent  sneezing 
and  shaking  of  the  head.  Some  drops  of  pectoral  elixir  in  the 
infusion  of  speedwell,  which  the  sick  birds  must  be  made  to 
take,  appears  to  be  the  most  efficacious  remedy. 

When  it  is  merely  hoarseness,  Dr.  Handel,  of  Mentz,  in 
France,  gave  to  his  birds  for  several  days,  as  their  only  drink, 
a  very  dilute  decoction  of  dry  figs,  sweetened  with  a  little 
sugar,  and  afterwards  purged  them,  for  two  days  following,  with 
the  juice  of  carrots. 

ASTHMA. — This  is  a  very  common  disease  among  house 
birds.  Those  attacked  with  it  have  their  breath  short,  often 
open  their  beaks  as  if  to  gasp  for  more  air,  and,  when  agitated 
or  frightened,  keep  them  open  for  a  long  time. 

The  cause  of  this  disease  may  doubtless  be  found  in  the 
mode  of  life  which  the  birds  lead.  Their  food  is  generally 
too  dry  and  heating,  being  principally  hemp  seed,  which  is 
very  injurious,  but  liked  by  all ;  and  is  the  more  hurtful,  as  it 
inclines  them  to  eat  too  much.  If  to  this,  be  added  the  un- 
changed air  of  the  rooms,  particularly  those  which  have  stoves 
instead  of  chimneys,  and  the  great  heat  which  is  kept  up 


18  INTRODUCTION. 

during  winter,  it  is  plain  that  there  is  much  to  injure  the 
delicate  lungs  of  the  birds. 

A  moist  and  refreshing  regimen  and  some  aperients,  more  or 
less  often,  according  to  the  violence  of  the  disease,  appears  the 
most  appropriate  remedy.  A  favorite  linnet  and  goldfinch, 
mentioned  by  Dr.  Bechstein,  when  attacked  with  very  bad 
asthma,  were  relieved  and  preserved  for  several  years  by  the 
following  method : — 

The  first  thing  was  to  leave  off  hemp  seed  entirely,  confining 
them  solely  to  rape  seed ;  but  giving  them  at  the  same  time  an 
abundance  of  bread,  soaked  in  pure  water,  and  then  pressed ; 
lettuce,  endive,  or  water  cresses,  according  to  the  season,  twice 
a-week,  giving  them  bread  boiled  in  milk,  about  the  size  of  a 
nutmeg.  This  is  made  by  throwing  a  piece  of  the  crumb  of 
white  bread,  about  the  size  of  a  nut,  into  a  teacupful  of  milk, 
boiling  it,  and  stirring  it  all  the  time  with  a  wooden  spoon  till 
it  is  of  the  consistency  of  pap.  It  must  be  quite  cold  before  it 
is  given  to  the  birds,  and  must  always  be  made  fresh,  for  if 
sour,  it  will  prove  injurious. 

This  paste,  which  they  are  very  fond  of,  purges  them  suili- 
cicntly,  and  sensibly  relieves  them.  In  very  violent  attacks, 
nothing  but  this  paste  ought  to  be  given  for  two  or  three  days 
following,  and  this  will  soon  give  the  desired  relief. 

When  the  disease  is  slight,  or  only  begun,  it  is  sufficient  to 
give  the  bread  and  milk  once  in  three  or  four  days.  When 
employed  under  similar  circumstances,  this  treatment  has 
cured  several  very  valuable  birds.  It  may  not  be  useless 
here  to  renew  the  advice  of  always  giving  the  birds  an 
opportunity  of  bathing  every  day,  by  putting  in  their  way 
a  saucer,  or  any  other  small  shallow  bath,  filled  with 
water,  which  should  never  be  too  cold,  and  in  winter  always 
milkwarm. 

One  thing  which  is  very  injurious  to  the  lungs  of  birds,  and 
which  too  often  occurs,  is  the  fright  occasioned  by  tormenting 
them,  or  by  seizing  them  too  suddenly;  for  the  poor  little 
things  often  rupture  a  blood  vessel  in  the  breast  while  beating 
themselves  about.  A  drop  of  blood  in  the  beak  is  the  sign,  and 


INTRODUCTION.  19 

a  speedy  death  is  the  general  consequence.  If  this  do  not 
happen,  the  breathing  is  not  the  less  difficult  and  painful; 
and  recovery  is  rare,  at  least  without  the  greatest  care  and 
attention. 

Birds  that  eat  insects  and  worms,  occasionally,  by  acci- 
dent, swallow  some  extraneous  substance,  which,  sticking  in 
their  throat,  stops  their  respiration  and  stifles  them.  The  only 
remedy  is  to  extract  the  foreign  body,  which  requires  much 
skill  and  dexterity. 

When  asthma  is  brought  on  by  eating  seeds,  which  are  too 
old,  spoiled,  or  rancid,  Dr.  Handel  recommends  some  drops  of 
oxymel,  (honey  and  vinegar  boiled  to  a  syrup,)  to  be  swallowed 
for  eight  days  following.  But  the  best  way  is  to  change  the 
seed,  and  be  sure  there  is  none  but  good  seed  in  the  feeding 
trough. 

ATROPHV,  on  WASTING. — This  is  caused  by  giving  unnatural 
food  to  the  bird,  which  destroys  the  digestive  power  of  its 
stomach.  In  this  case,  it  disgorges  its  food,  ruffles  its  feathers, 
and  does  not  arrange  them,  and  becomes  thin  very  fast.  The 
best  thing  is  to  make  it  swallow  a  common  spider,  which 
purges  it,  and  put  a  rusty  nail  into  its  water,  which  strengthens 
the  tone  of  the  stomach,  giving  it  at  the  same  time  its  proper 
and  natural  food.  Green  food,  such  as  lettuce,  endive,  chick- 
weed,  and  particularly  water  cresses,  is  the  safest  remedy.  A 
very  great  appetite  is  a  sign  of  this  disease.  A  Siskin,  men- 
tioned by  Dr.  Bcchstein,  that  was  dying  of  atrophy,  had  nothing 
but  water  cresses  for  three  days  following,  and  on  the  fourth 
he  sung. 

CONSUMPTION. — This  is  usually  the  result  of  unnatural  food, 
which  interrupts  the  function  of  digestion,  and  it  is  recognised 
by  the  bird  inflating  and  distending  itsolf.  The  feathers  are 
ruffled,  and  the  flesh  dwindles.  No  better  remedy,  perhaps, 
can  be  found  than  to  give  such  birds  a  common  spider,  which 
purges  them,  and  to  lay  in  their  water  a  rusty  nail,  which 
strengthens  the  stomach.  They  must,  at  the  same  time,  be  fed 
with  the  best  description  of  their  appropriate  food.  In  birds 
1  which  will  eat  vegetables,  and  especially  water  cresses,  this 


20  INTRODUCTION. 

will  be  found   the    surest  remedy  against  consumption,  or 
waste.    Usually,   birds   suffering  from  this  malady   h. 
voracious  appetite  for  green  food.    Dr.  Bechstein  fed  a  Siskin, 
which  had  already  completely  wasted,  for  three  succ< 
days,  with  nothing  but  water  cresses,  and  on  the  fourth  it  n  •- 
commenced  singing. 

COSTIVENESS. — This  disease  may  be  discovered  from  the 
frequent  unsuccessful  endeavors  of  the  bird  to  relieve  itself. 
Aperients  will  be  of  use.  If  a  spider  does  not  produce  the 
desired  effect,  anoint  the  vent  of  the  bird  with  the  head  of  a 
pin  steeped  in  linseed  oil;  this  sort  of  clyster  generally 
succeeds.  Boiled  bread  and  milk  is  also  of  great  service. 

DIARRHOEA. — This  is  a  disease  to  which  birds  that  have  1»  <  n 
caught  recently  are  very  subject,  before  they  are  accustomed 
to  their  new  food.  Most  of  these  die  of  it;  they  continually 
void  a  white  calcareous  matter,  which  sticks  to  the  feath  rs 
round  the  vent,  and  being  very  acrid  causes  inflammation  in 
that  part  and  in  the  intestines.  Sometimes  chalybeate  water, 
(iron  water,)  and  the  oil  clyster  produce  good  effects;  but  it  is 
better,  if  possible,  to  procure  for  the  bird  its  most  natural  foo.i. 
Some  people  pull  out  the  feathers  from  the  tail  and  vent,  and 
then  rub  these  parts  with  fresh  butter,  but  this  is  a  very 
painful  and  cruel  operation.  They  also  mix  the  yolk  of  an 
egg  boiled  very  hard  with  their  food,  but  this  docs  not  succeed 
very  well.  If  there  be  any  hope  of  curing  this  disease,  it  is  by 
attacking  it  at  the  beginning,  before  inflammation  is  violent ; 
boiled  bread  and  milk,  a  plenty  of  lettuce,  or  any  other  similar 
green  refreshing  food,  generally  effects  a  cure. 

In  a  case  of  chronic  diarrhoea,  which  almost  reduces  the 
birds  to  skeletons,  Dr.  Handel,  of  France,  prescribes  chaly- 
beate water,  mixed  with  a  little  milk  for  their  drink,  which,  he 
says,  is  an  easy  and  certain  cure. 

BLOODY  FLUX. — This  is  a  disease  with  which  some  parrots 
arc  attacked.  The  best  remedy  is  to  make  the  birds  drink  a 
plenty  of  boiled  milk,  or  even  very  fat  broth ;  for  their  intes- 
tines, which  are  ve*y  much  irritated,  require  something  sooth- 
ing 1o  protect  them  from  the  acrid  discharges,  which,  at  the 


.  .^g 

.      INTRODUCTION.  21     V 

same  time,  must  by  corrected  be  healing  food.  Birds  in  this 
state,  generally  do  nothing  but  drink;  therefore  plenty  of 
boiled  milk  should  be  given  them,  as  it  nourishes  them,  as  well 
as  acts  medicinally,  but  should  it  appear  to  turn  sour  in  the 
stomach,  it  must,  at  least  for  some  time,  be  discontinued. 

OBSTRUCTION  OF  THE  RUMP  GLAND. — This  gland,  which  is  on 
the  rump,  and  contains  the  oil  employed  for  anointing  the 
foathers,  sometimes  becomes  hard  and  inflamed,  and  an  abscess 
forms  there.  In  this  case,  the  bird  often  pierces  it  itself,  or  it 
may  be  softened  by  applying  fresh  butter  without  any  salt ; 
bi  it  is  better  to  use  an  ointment  made  of  white  lead,  litharge, 
wax,  and  olive  oil,  which  may  be  had  of  any  good  chemist  or 
apothecary.  The  general  method  is  to  pierce  or  cut  the 
hardened  gland,  in  order  to  let  out  the  matter. 

The  gland  is  known  to  be  obstructed  when  the  feathers, 
which  surround  it,  aro  ruffled,  the  bird  never  ceasing  to  peck 
them,  and  instead  of  being  yellow  it  becomes  brown.  Dr. 
Bechstein  says,  this  disease  is  very  rare  among  wild  birds,  for, 
being  exposed  to  damp,  and  bathing  often,  they  make  more 
use  of  the  liquor  in  the  gland,  consequently,  it  does  not  accu- 
mulate sufficiently  to  become  corrupted,  sour,  or  cancerous. 
This  confirms  the  necessity  of  giving  them  the  means  of 
bathing  as  often  as  instinct  would  induce  them,  as  nothing 
can  be  more  favorable  to  their  health. 

Dr.  Handel,  after  piercing  the  gland,  recommends  a  little 
magnesia  to  be  mixed  with  the  bird's  drink. 

EPJLEPSY. — This  is  a  disease  with  which  house  birds  a*e 
very  often  attacked.  What  has  been  found  to  be  most  useful 
in  this  case,  is  to  plunge  the  sick  birds  every  now  and  then 
into  very  cold  water,  letting  them  fall  suddenly  into  it,  and 
cutting  their  claws,  or  at  least  one  or  two,  short  enough  for 
the  blood  to  run. 

From  bleeding  giving  so  much  relief,  one  would  think  that 
this  disease  is  a  kind  of  apoplexy,  occasioned  by  want  of 
exercise  and  too  much  food.  Bullfinches  and  thrushes  are 
more  subject  to  it  than  any  other  birds,  and  bleeding  always 
cures  them,  which  has  been  done  with  great  success  in  the  fol- 


I   22 


INTRODUCTION. 


lowing  manner,  but  much  delicacy  and  skill  are  required,  as 
there  would  be  great  danger  of  laming  the  bird : — A  very  small 
hole  is  made  on  the  surface  of  the  claw,  with  a  lancet  or  very 
sharp  penknife ;  it  is  then  plunged  in  lukewarm  water,  and  if 
the  operation  be  well  done,  the  blood  runs  like  a  thread  of  red 
silk;  when  removed  from  the  water,  the  bleeding  stops;  no 
bandage  nor  dressing  is  required. 

TYMPAJTT  OR  BLOATING. — In  this  disorder,  the  skin  on  one 
part  of  the  body,  or  even  the  whole  body,  rises  and  swells  to 
so  great  a  degree  that  it  is  stretched  like  a  drum.  It  is  gene- 
rally sufficient  to  pierce  it  with  a  pin,  so  as  to  let  the  air 
escape,  and  the  bird  will  be  cured. 

DISEASE  IN  THE  FEET. — House  birds  are  often  subject  to  bad 
feet.  From  the  second  year,  they  become  pale,  and  lose  their 
freshness.  They  must  be  frequently  cleaned,  taking  care  to 
remove  the  skin ;  the  thick  loose  scales  ought  also  to  be  taken 
off,  but  with  all  possible  precaution 

The  gout  occasions  the  feet  to  swell ;  they  are  also  so  scaly 
and  painful  that  the  poor  little  bird  cannot  support  itself  with- 
out resting  on  the  points  of  its  wings.  Dr.  Handel  prescribes  a 
warm  fomentation  with  a  decoction  of  soap  wort  (Saponaria 
officinalis).  If  a  foot  should  be  bruised  or  broken,  he  advises 
that  the  diseased  bird  should  be  shut  up  in  a  very  small  cage, 
the  bottom  of  which  is  very  smooth  and  even,  without  any 
perches,  or  anything  which  would  tempt  it  to  hop,  and  put 
in  a  very  quiet  and  solitary  place,  out  of  the  way  of  anything 
which  might  produce  agitation.  In  this  manner,  the  bird  will 
cure  itself  in  a  little  time,  without  any  bandage  or  plaster  of 
any  kind. 

Dr.  Bechstein  was  of  the  opinion  that  the  principal  cause  of 
bad  feet  is  want  of  bathing.  The  scales,  contracting  from 
dryncss,  occasion  great  pain ;  in  order  to  remove  them  with 
ease,  and  without  danger,  the  feet  must  be  softened  in  luke- 
warm water.  The  following  method  has  been  ised  with  a 
bullfinch  with  success : — Its  cage  was  made  with  a  movable 
tin  bottom,  which,  being  half  or  three  quarters  of  an  inch  deep, 
could  hold  water,  that  was  put  in  tepid,  to  bathe  the  bird ;  A 


INTRODUCTION.  23 

the  porches  were  then  removed,  so  that  the  bird  was  obliged 
to  remain  in  the  water,  where  it  was  left  for  half  an  hour, 
sometimes  throwing  it  hemp  seed  to  amuse  it.  After  repeating 
the  bath  once  or  twice,  the  bird  became  very  fond  of  it ;  and  it 
was  remarked  that  its  feet  became,  if  we  may  say  so,  quite 
young  again.  The  scales  being  sufficiently  softened,  the 
middle  of  each  was  cut  lengthwise  without  reaching  the  flesh ; 
this  made  the  sides  easily  fall  off.  It  is  better  to  remove  only 
two  scales  a-day,  that  the  bird  may  not  be  wearied.  By  con- 
tinuing the  bath  three  times  a-week,  the  feet  become  healthy 
and  supple,  and  the  bird  is  easy. 

SORE  EYES. — The  juice  of  red  beet  for  drink,  and  also  as  a 
liniment,  greatly  relieves  this  disorder.  Dr.  Handel,  of  Mentz, 
recommends  washing  the  eyes,  when  disposed  to  blindness, 
with  an  infusion  of  the  root  of  white  hellebore. 

TUMORS  AND  ULCERS. — As  to  the  tumors  and  ulcers  which 
come  on  the  heads  of  the  birds,  Dr.  Handel  touches  them  with 
a  middling-sized  red-hot  knitting  needle.  This  makes  the 
watery  humor  run  out,  and  the  wound  afterwards  dries  and 
heals.  To  soften  the  pain,  a  little  liquid  black  soap  is  used.  If, 
from  the  softness  of  the  tumor,  matter  seems  to  have  formed,  it 
should  be  rubbed  with  fresh  butter  until  it  is  come  to  a  head ; 
it  may  then  be  emptied,  and  opened  by  a  few  drops  of  essence 
of  myrrh.  During  all  this  time,  the  bird  must  have  nothing 
but  beet  juice  to  drink. 

Ulcers  in  the  palate  and  throat  may  be  cured  by  making  the 
bird  drink  the  milk  of  almonds  for  several  days,  at  the  same 
time  lightly  touching  the  ulcers  several  times  a-day  with  a 
feather  dipped  in  a  mixture  of  honey  and  borax. 

MOULTING. — This  occurrence,  though  natural,  is  generally 
accompanied  with  disease,  during  which  the  birds  ought  to  bo 
taken  great  care  of.  Their  food  should  be  changed,  but  with- 
out giving  any  heating  delicacies,  which  are  very  injurious. 

It  has  been  observed  that  birds  always  moult  at  tne  time 
when  their  food  is  most  abundant ;  the  forest  birds  may  fien 
be  seen  approaching  fields  and  cultivated  places,  where,  having 
plenty  of  insects  and  seeds,  they  cannot  suffer  from  want; 


9 


24  INTRODUCTION. 

indeed,  the  loss  of  their  leathers  prevents  their  taking  long 
flights,  and  the  reproduction  of  them  occasions  a  loss  of  flesh 
which  must  be  repaired.  An  abundance  of  food  is  th<yefore 
necessary,  and,  following  this  rule,  during  moulting,  some 
additional  food  must  be  given  to  house  birds,  appropriate  to 
the  different  species  —  millet  or  Canary  seed,  a  little  hemp  seed, 
white  bread  soaked  in  water,  and  lettuce,  or  endive,  to  those 
which  feed  on  seeds;  with  a  few  more  worms  and  ants' 
eggs  to  those  that  eat  insects;  all  should  have  bread  soaked  in 
boiled  milk,  warmth,  and  baths.  Nothing  has  succeeded  better 
than  this  regimen. 

VERTIGO,  OR  GIDDINESS.  —  This,  without  being  properly  a  dis- 
ease, is  rather  common,  and  is  occasioned  by  the  trick  which 
the  birds  of  the  first  class  have,  of  turning  their  head  and  neck 
so  far  round  that  they  fall  off  their  perch.  They  may  be 
easily  cured  of  this  trick  by  throwing  a  covering  over  the  top 
of  the  cage,  which  prevents  their  seeing  anything  above  tin  -in, 
for  it  is  with  looking  up  that  this  giddiness  comes  on. 

PAIRING  FEVER.  —  A  disease  which  may  be  called  tho  "  pairiujr 
fever"  must  not  be  forgotten  here.  House  birds  are  usually 
attacked  with  it  in  the  spring,  or  at  the  time  when  the  inclina- 
tion to  pair  is  greatest  They  cease  to  sing,  become  sorrowful 
and  thin,  ruffle  their  feathers,  and  die.  This  fever  generally 
first  seizes  those  which  arc  confined  in  cages;  it  appears  to 
arise  from  their  mode  of  life,  which  is  too  uniform  and  wearying. 
They  may  be  cured  merely  by  placing  them  in  the  window, 
where  they  are  soon  so  much  refreshed  that  they  forget  their 
grief,  their  desire  for  liberty,  or  for  pairing,  and  resume  their 
liveliness  and  song. 

It  has  been  observed  that  a  a,ngle  female  in  the  room  is 
sufficient  to  cause  this  disease  to  all  the  males  of  the  same 
family,  though  of  different  species.  Removing  the  female  will 
cure  them  directly.  The  males  and  females,  at  this  season, 
must  be  separated,  so  that  they  cannot  see  nor  hear  one  another. 
This,  perhaps,  is  the  reason  that  a  male,  when  put  in  the 
window,  is  soon  cured. 

PARASITIC  VERMIN.  —  If  birds  are  sometimes  restless,  especial  ly 

* 


INTRODUCTION.  25 

of  a  night,  and  if  they  are  observed  to  be  frequently  feeling 
with  their  beaks  about  the  abdomen,  back,  or  wings,  they  must 
be  examined  to  see  if  no  small  yellow  insects,  (lice  or  mites,) 
may  be  discovered  upon  the  body,  or  between  the  feathers. 
If  this  be  the  case,  they  must  be  sprinkled  by  means  of  a  small 
syringe  with  water,  in  which  quicksilver  has  been  steeped,  or 
with  a  much  diluted  infusion  of  tobacco,  for  several  suc- 
cesoive  days,  whereby  these  vermin  are  destroyed  or  chased 
away.  Another  mode  of  getting  rid  of  the  lice  is  to  bathe  the 
birds  frequently,  and  to  give  them,  daily,  fresh  or  dry  sand, 
and  to  be  very  particular  in  keeping  them  exceedingly  clean. 

UNNATURAL  FATNESS. — If  it  be  found  that  the  birds  become 
unnaturally  fat,  which  is  often  the  case,  especially  during 
autumn,  in  some  species  of  warblers,  their  too  nutritious  food 
must  be  changed  and  Swedish  turnips,  (ruta-bagas,)  be  mixed 
in  it,  and  dry  ants'  eggs  put  into  their  drink,  which  much 
checks  their  corpulency. 


THE   CANARY  BIRD. 


Synonymca, 

Fri*ffitla  eanana, Or  OKXITIIOI.OOISTS. 

Serin  de  Canaries OF  TUB  FKKNCH. 

Canaricnvogul, Or  TDK  GKRXAXS. 

( ...,;.,  J  Or   TUB    SPANIARDS 

'        (     AND  I'ORTUOUKSK. 

Canarino, Or  TIIK  ITALIAN!. 

*  Or  TIIK  BRITISH  AND 

j    ANOLO-AMICKICAN*. 


,HE  Canary  bird,  from  its  beautiful  plumage,  elegant 
shape,  singular  capacity,  and  attractive  familiarity,  as 
well  as  from  the  charms  and  melodies  with  which  it 
enlivens  our  rooms,  has  always  been  agreeable  to  the  fancier, 
and  may,  emphatically  be  called  the  real  "  cage  bird."  Some 
of  them  we  find  melancholy,  others  cheerful ;  some  angry, 
others  peaceful ;  some  intelligent,  others  dull ;  somfc  indus- 
trious, others  idle;  some  greedy,  others  frugal.  But  the/  havo 
chiefly  made  themselves  beloved  by  their  animated,  paverfdU 
and  varied  song,  which  lasts  almost  throughout  the  ''/bole 
year,  and  with  some  even  during  the  time  of  moulting. 


$N 

* 


THE    CANARY   BIRD.  27 

These  birds  are  also  distinguished  by  their  correctness  of 
ear,  the  remarkable  skill  they  possess  of  imitating  all  tones, 
and  their  excellent  memory.  Not  only  do  they  imitate  the 
notes  of  other  birds,  which  they  greatly  improve  by  mixing 
them  with  their  own,  but  they  will  even  learn  to  utter  short 
words  with  some  degree  of  correctness.  In  their  wild  and 
undomesticated  state,  their  song  is  unvaried,  as  with  most  other 
birds,  less  melodious,  of  fewer  notes,  and  uttered  at  longer 
intervals  than  with  us  ;  at  least,  I  found  them  so,  as  far  as  my 
observation  extended,  when  a  resident  of  the  Canary  Isles. 


ORIGIN  AND  HISTORY. 

THOSE  birds,  from  which  are  descended  the  Canaries  now 
kept  and  reared  throughout  the  whole  of  Europe,  and  even  in 
Russia  and  Siberia,  as  well  as  in  various  parts  of  North  and 
South  America,  in  an  unadulterated  state,  are  natives  of  the 
Canary  Islands,  where  they  breed  in  pleasant  valleys,  and  on 
the  delightful  banks  of  small  rills,  or  streams.  They  were 
known  in  Europe  as  long  ago  as  the  beginning  of  the  sixteenth 
century,  as  we  are  told,  concerning  their  arrival,  that,  "  A  ship, 
which,  in  addition  to  other  merchandize,  had  a  multitude  of 
Canaries  on  board,  that  were  consigned  to  Leghorn,  was 
wrecked  on  the  coast  of  Italy,  and  the  birds,  thereby  obtaining 
their  liberty,  flew  to  the  nearest  land."  This  happened  to  be 
Elba,  where  they  found  so  propitious  a  climate,  that  they  multi- 
plied without  the  intervention  of  man,  and  probably  would 
have  naturalised  themselves,  had  not  the  wish  to  possess  them 
been  so  great  as  to  occasion  them  to  be  hunted  after  until  they 
were  entirely  extirpated.  In  Italy,  therefore,  we  find  the  first 
tame  Canaries,  where  they  are  still  raised  in  great  numbers. 
At  first,  their  rearing  in  Europe  was  attended  with  con- 
siderable difficulty,  partly  because  the  mode  of  treating 
these  delicate  strangers  was  not  sufficiently  understood,  but 
principally  because  males,  chiefly,  and  not  females,  were 
introduced. 


28 


THE   CANARY  BIRD. 


DESCRIPTION. 


3*3 


THE  Canary  bird  is  five  inches  in  length,  of  which  the  tail 
comprises  two  inches  and  a  quarter;  the  beak  is  five  lines 
long,  stout,  sharply  pointed,  and  whitish ;  *fce  legs  are 


CANARIES   AND  KZST. 


colored,  and  eight  lines  high.  The  female  is  scarcely  to  be 
distinguished  from  the  male,  but  the  latter  has  generally  deeper 
and  brighter  colors ;  the  head  is  rather  thicker ;  the  body,  in 
general,  more  slender  throughout;  and  the  temples  and  the 


THE    CANARY  BIRD.  29 

space  around  the  eyes,  are  always  of  a  brighter  yellow  than 
the  rest  of  the  body. 

The  original  grey  color  of  this  bird,  which  merges  into  green 
beneath,  has,  by  means  of  domestication,  climate,  and  inter- 
mixture with  other  birds,  become  so  multifarious,  that  Canaries 
may  now  be  met  with  of  almost  every  hue ;  but  grey,  yellow, 
white,  blackish  and  reddish-brown,  are  the  prevailing  colors, 
which  are  individually  seen  in  every  degree  of  shade,  or  com- 
bination, and  thus  present  innumerable  differences.  Those 
which  are  of  a  blackish-grey,  or  greyish-brown,  above,  with 
greenish-yellow  beneath,  like  a  greenfinch,  are  the  most  com- 
mon, generally  the  strongest,  and  approach  ihe  most  closely 
to  the  original  color  of  their  primogenitors.  The  yellow  and 
white  ones  have  usually  red  eyes,  but  are  more  delicate.  The 
chestnut-colored  are  the  most  rare,  and  in  strength  and  length 
of  life  are  intermediate.  The  colors  of  most  Canaries  consist 
of  a  mixture  of  these,  and  that  bird  is  the  most  prized  the  more 
regularly  it  exhibits  the  combination  of  these  various  shades. 
That  which  is  most  generally  admired,  at  present,  is  one  with 
yellow,  or  white,  upon  the  body,  and  of  a  dun-yellow  color  on 
the  wings,  head,  and  tail.  Next  in  degree  of  beauty,-  is  that 
which  is  of  a  golden  yellow,  with  a  black,  blue,  or  blackish- 
grey  head,  and  similar  wings  and  tail.  There  arc  also  blackish 
or  grey  ones,  with  yellow  heads,  or  with  a  ring  about  the  neck, 
white,  with  brown  and  black  markings,  ashy-grey,  almost 
black,  with  a  yellcw  breast,  and  white  head  and  tail,  all  of 
which  have  a  prominent  value.  Others,  which  are  irregularly 
marked,  and  arc  variegated,  or  mottled,  are  less  esteemed. 


HYBRIDITY. 

As  remarked  in  a  preceding  page,  the  original  color  of  the 
Canary  bird  is  grey,  which  merges  into  green  beneath,  almost 
resembling  the  colors  of  the  linnet ;  but  by  means  of  domes- 
tication, climate,  and  intermixture  with  other  fc'rds,  as  the 

i   citril  finch  and  serin,  of  Italy,  and  with  the  Siskin  and  linnet, 

•— 


30  THE   CANARY  BIRD. 

of  Germany,  they  have  become  so  multifarious,  that  tin -y  a/o 
to  be  met  with  of  almost  every  color  and  hue.  Furthermore, 
in  Europe,  there  are  societies  for  promoting  the  breeds,  and 
premiums  arc  awarded  to  competitors  who  come  nearest  to  the 
model  of  perfection  given  out  for  competition.  The  hybrids 
produced  by  crossing  the  Canary  with  other  birds,  most  in 
favor,  may  be  described  as  follows : — 

1.  The  Cross  between  tlie  Canary  and  Goldfinch. — The  colors 
of  this  variety  consist  of  a  very  beautiful  intermixture  of  those 
of  both  parents.    One  which  has  been  highly   prized, 
marked  in  the  middle  of  the  crest  with  ashy-grey ;  the  rest  of 
the  head,  and  the  upper  part  of  the  neck,  was  of  a  silvery 
white,  with  a  bright  orange-red  ring  round  the  base  of  the 
beak,  and  another  ring  of  snowy  whiteness  round  the  neck ; 
the  back  was  greyish-brown,  striped  with  black ;  the  rump, 
white;  the  under  part  of  the  body,  snow-white;  the  vent,  the 
wings,  and  the  first  pinion  feathers,  were  also  white;  the  rest, 
as  well  as  the  coverts,  black,  edged  with  yellow,  and  with  a 
golden-yellow  spot  in  the  centre  of  the  wings;  the  tail  was 
white,  with  a  black  lateral  spot;  the  beak  and  feet,  white,  the 
former  with  a  black  tip.    The  mother  of  this  fine  bird  was 
white,  with  a  greenish  crest     In  general,  the  handsomest 
varieties  arc  produced  when  yellow  or  white  Canaries  are 
pared  with  goldfinches. 

2.  The  Cross  between  the  Canary  and  the  Siskin. — This  is  per- 
fectly like  the   female   Siskin,  if  the  male  bird  is  a  green 
Canary,  but  if  the  latter  be  white  or  yellow,  it  becomes 
rather  brighter  and  always  retains  the  color  and  figure  of  the 
Siskin. 

3.  The  Cross  between  Jie  Canary  and  tJie  Serin  is  distinguished 
only  by  its  smaller  size,  and  by  its  short,  thick,  beak,  from  the 
common  grey  or  green  Canary,  unless  produced  by  a  white  or 
yellow  hen. 

The  Cross  between  the  Canary  and  the  Linne'. — When  the 
offspring  of  a  grey  Canary,  its  only  difference  is  a  slightly 
longer  tail;  but  it  is  variegated  or  speckled  wh»-n  the  Canary 
is  vellow  or  white. 


THE   CANARY  BIRD.  31 


PAIBING  AND  LAYINO. 

IN  order  to  obtain  birds  of  a  brilliant  plumage,  it  if.  requisite 
to  pair  together  such  as  are  of  similar  markings,  and  the  colors 
of  which  are  regular  and  distinct.  Tfyis  is  best  effected  in 
separate  breeding  cages.  Variegated  and  checkered  ones  are 
often  produced  in  aviaries  where  the  birds  pair  together  indis- 
criminately. Those  of  a  greenish  and  brownish  color,  paired 
with  bright-yellow  ones,  often  produce  beautiful  dusky-  white, 
or  other  favorite  colors.  A  requisite  precaution  to  be  ob- 
served is,  that  a  tufted  and  a  smooth-headed  bird  should  be 
paired  together;  for,  if  two  crested  ones  be  placed  with 
one  another,  a  part  of  the  head  of  their  progeny  will  be  bald, 
or  otherwise  deformed. 

Some  males  are  always  dejected,  sing  but  little,  are  indiffer- 
ent to  their  mates,  and  consequently  unfit  for  breeding;  others 
are  too  choleric,  incessantly  snap  at,  and  chase  about,  the 
females,  and  indeed,  often  kill  them  and  their  young  ;  others, 
again,  are  too  ardent,  persecute  the  female  while  she  is  sitting, 
tear  the  nest,  throw  out  the  eggs,  or  continually  excite  her  to 
pair,  until  she  quits  her  eggs  or  neglects  her  young  ;  others,  in 
breeding  time,  sing  so  incessantly,  and  so  powerfully,  that 
they  rupture  the  small  vessels  of  the  lungs,  and  suddenly  drop 
dead  in  the  midst  of  their  song. 

The  females  have  also  their  defects.  Some  merely  lay,  and 
immediately  quit  their  eggs  as  soon  as  laid  ;  others  feed  their 
young  badly,  bite  them,  or  pluck  out  their  feathers  ;  others  lay 
with  much  exertion  and  labor,  and  when  they  should  hatch 
become  sickly,  or  lay  again  after  a  long  interval. 

Those  birds  which  are  to  be  paired  for  the  first  time,  should 
be  placed  together  in  a  small  cage  or  an  open  room  for  a 
week  or  ten  days,  to  be  wonted  to  one  another.  If  two  females 
are  to  be  paired  with  one  male,  they  must  previously  be  ac- 
customed to  each  other's  society  by  being  also  kept  together 
in  a  srrall  cage;  and  the  breeding  cage  should  have  two 
compartments,  separated  by  a  board,  in  which  a  sliding  door 


32  THE   CANARY  BIRD. 

has  been  made.  In  one  compartment,  a  lively  male  may  be 
enclosed  with  a  female.  About  the  cage  or  room,  there  should 
be  placed  some  flax,  soft  hay,  wool,  hog's  bristles,  cow's  hair, 
moss,  pieces  of  thread,  cut  about  a  finger's  length,  paprr, 
shavings,  or  other  dry  materials  for  building  the  nest,  which 
usually  occupies  three  days.  When  one  female  has  laid  eggs, 
the  sliding  door  may  be  moved  and  the  male  admitted  to  the 
other  female ;  and  when  they  have  both  laid,  this  door  may  be 


CANARY  BREEDING   CAO*. 


kept  open.  The  male  will  visit  both  females  alternately,  when 
they  will  not  trouble  themselves  about  each  other ;  otherwise, 
without  this  precaution,  jealousy  would  ;'ncite  them  to  destroy 
each  other's  nests  and  throw  out  the  eggs.  In  a  room  or 
aviary,  a  male  has  sometimes  two  and  even  three  females 
placed  with  him;  with  one  of  these,  he  will  more  especially 
pair.  But  when  this  favorite  is  about  to  sit,  the  others  will 
receive  a  share  of  his  attentions,  and  from  the  latter  usually 
the  greatest  number  and  the  best  birds  are  reared. 


-4HI 

THE    CANARY   PIRD.  33 

The  female,  as  with  the  majority  of  birds,  is  usually  the 
architect,  the  male  only  selecting  the  place  and  procuring 
materials,  the  coarser  of  which  is  used  for  the  external  struc- 
ture, and  the  finer  for  lining  the  inside  of  the  nest.  The 
females  will  sometimes  show  indications  of  their  instinct  by 
building  nests  after  their  own  fashion,  generally  being  irregu- 
lar in  figure,  and  not  nicely  finished,  at  least  externally.  It  is 
in  the  nest  itself,  where  the  pairing  takes  place,  the  female 
attracting  the  male  by  a  continuous  piping  note,  repeated  more 
quickly  the  nearer  she  is  to  laying.  An  interval  of  seven  or 
eight  days  elapses  between  the  first  pairing  and  laying  the 
first  egg.  Every  day  afterwards,  nearly  at  the  same  hour,  an 
egg  is  laid,  the  number  varying  from  two  to  six. 


BREEDING,  INCUBATION,  ETC. 

THE  month  of  March  is  the  best  time  to  place  the  birds  in 
the  breeding  cage.  Of  these,  there  arc  two  kinds,  cither  a 
large  one,  made  of  wire,  as  is  shown  at  page  15,  in  which  it  is 
better  to  place  a  male,  and  one  female,  than  one  male  and 
two  females  together,  like  the  one  shown  in  the  preceding  page ; 
or  the  birds  may  have  range  of  an  entire  room.  All  breeding 
places  must  be  exposed  to  the  warmth  and  light  of  the  sun, 
and  be  hung  about  with  nests  made  of  turned  wood,  tin,  or 
little  wicker  baskets,  two  for  each  pair. 

When  a  room  is  allotted  to  the  purpose,  it  ought  to  contain 
shrubs  for  the  birds  to  perch  or  build  upon,  with  a  plenty  of 
fresh  water  to  drink  and  bathe  in,  that  being  indispensable  for 
all  birds.  The  light  should  be  admitted  into  the  east  or  south- 
east, for  the  benefit  of  the  morning  sun,  and  the  windows 
should  have  wire  cloth  over  them,  that  the  birds  may  enjoy  the 
fresh  air.  The  floor  of  the  apartment  should  be  strewed  with 
clean  gravel  or  sand,  on  which  should  be  thrown  celery  or 
chickweed;  but  when  breeding,  they  should  have  nothing 
except  hard-chopped  eggs,  dried  roll,  cake  without  salt,  and 

once  in  two  or  three  days  a  few  poppy  seeds. 
2* 


31  THE    CANARY   BIRD. 

When  the  birds  are  gooa  breeders,  it  is  needless  to  attempt 
to  assist  nature  by  artificial  means ;  and  it  is  best  to  leave  the 
them  entirely  to  themselves.  In  other  cases,  it  is  customary  to 
remove  the  first  egg\  and  replace  it  by  an  ivory  one,  placing  it 
in  a  box  filled  with  clean,  dry  sand,  and  so  taking  away  all 
the  eggs  till  the  last  one  is  laid ;  all  arc  then  returned  to  the 
nest  to  be  hatched.  They  often  lay  three  or  four  times  a-y<  ar, 
from  February  to  September,  and  some  are  so  assiduous  in 
pairing,  that  even  moulting  does  not  interrupt  them.  Th< 
eggs  are  of  a  sea-green  color,  marked  on  one  end  with  reddish- 
brown  or  violet  spots  or  stripes.  The  period  of  incubation 
lasts  thirteen  days. 

If,  from  the  sicklincss  of  the  male,  or  of  the  female,  any  of 
the  eggs  arc  unimpregnatcd,  they  must  be  taken  out  of  the 
nest  when  the  hen  has  sat  for  a  week  or  ten  days,  held  lightly 
rn  the  fingers  in  the  sunshine,  or  in  a  bright  light;  the 
fecundated  ones  will  then  appear  filled  with  veins,  while  the 
bad  ones  will  be  quite  clear,  or  already  addled,  the  latter  of 
which  must  be  thrown  away.  The  male  rarely  relieves  the 
female  in  hatching,  nor  does  she  very  willingly  permit  it. 
Immediately  after  feeding,  she  returns  to  the  eggs,  and  should 
the  male  perchance  be  on  the  nest  at  the  time,  if  he  should  not 
directly  quit,  he  would  speedily  be  compelled  to  do  so  by 
pecks  and  blows.  The  young  arc  occasionally  killed  in  the 
egg,  in  consequence  of  loud  and  near  noises,  such  as  heavy 
thunder,  the  discharge  of  fire  arms,  violently  slamming  the 
door,  or  any  other  very  loud  knocking. 


FEEDING  AND  REARING  THE  YOUNG. 

As  soon  as  the  young  arc  hatched,  the  old  birds  should  be 
i-upplied  with  one  fourth  of  a  hard-boiled  egg,  minced  very 
fine,  with  some  dried  roll,  or  bread,  containing  no  salt, 
steeped  in  water,  the  latter  of  which  should  be  sqtieezed 
or  pressed  out  again.  In  another  vessel,  some  boiled  rape 
seed  should  be  placed,  which  has  been  rewashcd  in  fresh 


».£» _ _^ 

THE    CANARY   BIKD.  35 

water,  to  take  away  the  acidity.  Some  use  crackers  instead  of 
bread,  but  this  is  unnecessary.  It  is  merely  requisite  to  see 
that  this  soft  food  does  not  become  sour,  otherwise  it  will  kill 
the  young,  and  the  cause  remain  unsuspected.  Some  persons 
merely  give  them  their  usual  food,  intermixing  it  with  some 
finely-powdered  crackers  and  hard-boiled  eggs,  but  it  has  been 
found  by  experience,  that  the  diet  prescribed  above  is  more 
efficacious,  especially  until  the  young  are  fledged. 

It  is  now  that  the  male  takes  the  chief  part  in  rearing  the 
young;  and  upon  him  devolves  the  duty  of  feeding  them,  in 
order  to  allow  the  female  to  recover  from  the  exhaustion  she 
has  received  from  incubation. 

If  it  is  necessary  to  feed  the  young  by  hand,  grated  roll  or  '\ 
pulverised  dry  crackers  is  taken,  mixed  with  pounded  rape 
seed,  and  kept  in  a  box.  As  often  as  it  is  necessary  to  feed 
them,  a  little  of  it  is  moistened  with  some  of  the  yolk  of  an 
<3gg  and  water,  and  given  to  them  from  a  quill  pen.  This 
must  be  done  ten  or  twelve  times  a-day ;  about  four  penfuls  is 
the  quantity  necessary  for  each  meal. 

Up  to  the  twelfth  day,  the  young  remain  almost  naked,  and 
require  to  be  covered  by  the  female ;  but  after  the  thirteenth, 
they  will  feed  themselves.  In  cold,  dry  years,  however,  it 
sometimes  happens  that  the  birds  get  scarcely  any  plumage  at 
all.  When  they  are  a  month  old,  they  may  be  removed  from 
the  breeding  cage.  With  the  usual  food  of  the  old  birds,  they 
must  be  fed  for  some  time  upon  the  kinds  above  named ;  for, 
the  sudden  removal  from  soft  food  often  occasions  death,  espe- 
cially in  moulting.  It  is  asserted,  and  not  without  reason,  that 
those  Canaries  which  are  reared  in  an  arbor,  where  they  have 
space  to  fly  about  within  an  enclosure  of  wire,  are  longer-lived 
and  stronger  than  those  which  are  reared  in  a  chamber  or  a 
confined  cage. 

It  is  a  curious  fact,  perhaps  not  known  to  every  one,  that,  when    j 
there  are  two  females  with  one  male  in  a  cage,  and  one  dies, 
the  other,  if  she  has  not  already  sat,  will  hatch  the  eggs  laid  by 
her  co-mate,  and  rear  the  young  as  her  own;  and,  during  this 
foster-mother  care,  cautiously  avoid  the  caresses  of  the  male ! 


36  THE   CANARY  BIRD. 


TO  TEACH  A  YOUNG  OANAHY  TO  SING. 

WHEN  the  young  birds  can  eat  alone,  say  at  the  a^e  of 
thirteen  or  fourteen  days,  and  often  before  quitting  the  nest, 
the  males  commence  warbling,  and  the  females,  also,  but  less 
connectedly  and  from  this,  the  sexes  may  be  distinguished. 
To  teach  a  young  Canary  to  sing,  he  must  now  be  separated 
from  his  comrades,  as  well  as  from  other  birds,  and  placed  in 
a  small  wire  cage,  which,  at  the  commencement,  must  be 
covered  with  linen,  and  subsequently,  by  degrees,  with  thicker 
woollen  cloth,  when  a  short  air,  or  other  musical  piece,  must 
be  whistled  to  him,  or  a  flute,  or  a  small  organ  may  be  used. 
This  lesson  should  be  repeated  five  or  six  times  a-day,  espe- 
cially mornings  and  evenings,  and  in  five  or  six  months,  he 
will  be  able  to  acquire  the  air,  according  to  the  power  of  his 
memory. 


FOOD  AND  MANAGEMENT  OF  ADULT  BIRDS. 

EXCEPT  during  the  breeding  season,  the  males  may  be  kept 
in  cages  either  bell-shaped  or  like  that  denoted  in  the  aujioin- 
ing  cut.  These  may  be  made  of  wire  or  rattan,  and  should  be 
at  least  a  foot  high  and  eight  inches  in  diameter,  with  on**,  or 
more  transverse  perches.  . 

The  female  is  allowed  cither  to  have  freedom  in  the  room 
with  her  wings  clipped,  or  is  placed  in  a  large  breeding  cage, 
possessing  sufficient  space  to  keep  her  limbs  in  constant 
exercise,  and  preserve  them  in  health  and  strength. 

In  the  bell-shaped,  or  smaller  cages,  wherein  it  must  bo 
understood  only  one  male  should  be  put,  both  the  eating  find 
drinking  vessels  must  be  placed  on  the  outside,  at  the  ex- 
tremities of  the  lower  perch.  These  should  be  surrounded  by 
a  cap  of  tin,  so  that  the  bird  may  not  easily  scatter  its  food. 
Cleanliness  will  often  prevent  these  delicate  songsters  from 
suffering  many  disorders,  and  it  is  very  desirable  that  the 


THE    CANARY   BIRD. 


37 


» 


floor  of  the  <rage  should  be  made  movable,  that  it  may  be 
more  easily  cleansed  and  strewed  with  coarse  sand. 

Being  naturally  inhabitants  of  a  warm  climate,  and  ren- 
dered delicate  by  constant  residence  in  rooms,  and  so,  in  a 
manner  habituated  to  a  temperature  similar  to  that  of  their 
own  country,  great  care  is  necessary  in  winter,  in  order  that 
the  same  or  a  similar  temperature  may  be  preserved,  avoiding 
the  exposure  to  cold  air,  which,  however,  refreshes  in  summer, 


CANARY   BIRD   CAGE. 


cannot  be  otherwise  than  prejudicial  to  them,  causing  sickness 
and  even  death.  To  keep  these  birds  in  a  healthy  and  happy 
frame,  it  is  very  important  to  observe  that,  in  summer,  they 
be  frequently  hung  in  a  cage  in  brilliant  daylight,  and  if 
possible,  placed  in  the  warm  sunshine,  which,  especially  wt-en 
bathing,  is  very  agreeable  to  them. 

The   most  important  consideration  in  the  managemen    01 
the  male  is  his  food.    The  more  simple  and  true  to  nature 


A 


gp, « 

'   '    38  THE   CANARY   BIRD. 

this  is,  the  better  docs  it  agree  with  him ;  whereas,  when  too 
artificially  compounded,  it  renders  him  sickly  and  weak.  The 
best  food  is  the  "summer  rape  seed,"  which  is  sown  in 
spring.  This  is  distingnishcd  from  the  "  winter  rape  seed," 
which  is  sown  in  autumn,  by  being  larger  and  of  a  darker  hue. 
On  this  diet,  these  birds  thrive  very  well,  but  it  should  be 
occasionally  intermixed  with  some  crushed  hemp  seed  and 
Canary  seed,  for  the  sake  of  flavoring  it ;  and  this  more  espe- 
cially in  the  spring,  when  they  are  intended  for  breeding.  As 
a  treat,  we  may  occasionally  give  them  a  mixture  of  summer 
cabbage  seed,  whole  oats  or  oatmeal,  with  millet,  or  some 
Canary  seed.  Here,  as  in  most  other  cases,  we  should  strive 
to  imitate  nature. 

The  hen  Canaries  may  likewise  be  supplied  with  the  same 
kind  of  food  as  the  males;  but  in  winter,  they  are  content  with 
hn-ad,  containing  no  salt,  or  merely  barley  grots,  moistened  in 
milk,  if  given  to  them  fresh  every  day,  without  being  sour. 
Besides,  both  males  and  females  may  be  given,  in  summer, 
some  green  lettuce,  cabbage,  groundsel,  and  water  cresses, 
which  must  be  previously  washed  and  cleansed  from  anything 
prejudicial;  and  in  winter,  they  may  be  fed  with  pieces  of 
sweet  apples.  They  require  fresh  water  daily,  both  for 
drinking  and  bathing;  and  at  moulting  time,  a  rusty  nail 
should  be  occasionally  placed  in  their  drinking  vessel,  as  this 
tends  to  strengthen  the  stomach. 


TO  TEACH  THE  ADULT  BIRDS  TO  FLY. 

CANARIES  may  be  taught  to  fly;  but  the  trouble  and  risk  are 
so  great  that  it  is  hardly  worth  the  time  and  care  necessary  to 
teach  them.  The  male  is  first  allowed  its  liberty  in  a  place 
where  there  are  trees,  and  the  female  is  hung  at  a  window, 
near  by,  which  speedily  attracts  him  back  to  the  cage  in  case 
of  danger  or  fatigue.  This  teaching  must  be  continued  for 
five  or  six  days,  but  no  handling  nor  violent  attempts  to  catch 
them  should  be  used 


THE    CANARY   BIRD.  39 


DISEASES. 

THE  Canary  bird,  in  a  state  of  captivity,  seldom  enjoying  the 
open  air  and  having  but  little  exercise,  is  subject  to  most  of 
the  maladies  peculiar  to  the  domestic,  feathered  race.  The 
diseases  to  which  it  is  particularly  liable,  may  be  described 
and  treated  as  follows : — 

1.  Rupture. — This  is  a  common  malady,  especially  in  young 
birds,  and  is  a  kind  of  indigestion  which  causes  inflammation 
of  the  intestines.    The  symptoms  of  this  disease  are  a  lean, 
transparent,  blown-up  body,  full  of  small  red  veins,  and  in 
which  all  the  intestines  seem  to  have  fallen  to  the  lower  part 
of  the  body,  where  they  become  entangled  and  turned  black. 
Too  much  nutritious  food  is  the  cause  of  this  evil.    All  reme- 
dies  appear  to  have  been  ineffectual  in  this  malady,   but 
assistance  is  sometimes  obtained  from  a  spare  and  simple 
diet. 

2.  The  Yellow  Gall  in  the  Head  and  Eyes  may  be  cured  by 
refreshing  food ;  but  if  there  be  a  tubercle  of  the  size  of  a 
hemp  seed  about  the  head  or  eyes,  it  must  be  cut  off,  and  the 
wound  anointed  with  fresh  butter. 

3.  Sweating. — Some  females,  whilst  hatching,  have  a  sweat- 
ing sickness,  which  is  injurious  to  the  blood,  and  may  be 
detected  by  the  feathers  of  the  lower  part  of  the  body  being . 
quite  wet.    The  body  of  the  bird  should  be  washed  with  brine, 
and  afterwards  with  rain  or  spring  water  to  free  the  feathers 
of  salt,  and  then  rapidly  dried  by  the  sun  or  fire.    This  may 
be  repeated  once  or  twice  a-day.    This  sickness,  however,  is 
not  so  prejudicial  to  the  bird  as  is  generally  supposed. 

4.  Sneezing. — This  is  occasioned  by  a  stoppage  of  the  nos- 
trils, and  may  be  removed  by  a  very  small  feather  dipped  in 
olive  oil  being  passed  through  them. 

5.  Loss  of  Voice. — If  the  male,  after  moulting,  lose  his  voice, 
he  must  have  diet  similar  to  that  given  to  young  birds ;  that  is, 
some  thoroughly-baked,  stale  roll,  dipped  in   boiled  milk  or 
water  until  completely  saturated ;  then  press  out  the  milk  and 


40  THE    CANARY   BIRD. 

mix  it  with  more  or  less,  say  a  proportion  of  two  thirds  of 
coarse  barley  or  wheat  flour,  freed  from  the  husk  or  bran. 
Some  persons  give  them  a  slice  of  pork  or  bacon  to  peck. 

6.  Constipation  is  cured  by  giving  them  plenty  of  green  food, 
such  as  celery,  water  cresses,  chick  weed,  sallad,  &c. 

7.  Epilepsy  is  commonly  brought  on  by  too  great  a  delicacy 
of  treatment,  and  also  by  timidity,  from  alarm.    Too  great  an 
abundance  of  rich  food,  and  the  want  of  proper  exercise, 
whereby  much  and  thick  blood  is  produced,  are  the  chief 
causes  of  this  disease.    The  birds  ought  to  be  kept  free  from 
alarm,  either  by  catching  or  tormenting  them  in. any  way. 
When  suffering  under  this  complaint,  if  they  are  hot,  it  is 
recommended  to  dip  them  frequently  into  cold  ice  water,  and 
then  pair  their  nails  so  closely  as  to  start  blood.    A  few  drops 
of  olive  oil,  also,  given  internally  have  proved  serviceable. 

8.  Overgrown  Claws  or  Beaks  require  to  be  pared  with  sharp 
scissors.    Care  must  be  taken,  however,  not  to  cut  the  nnils 
too  close,  as  the  birds  would  be  liable  to  lose  so  much  blood 
as  to  become  lame.    The  end  of  the  u  red  ray,"  or  vein,  both  in 
the  beak  and  claws,  when  held  up  to  the  light,  shows  exactly 
how  far  they  may  be  cut    During  the  hatching  period,  also, 
the  nails  of  the  female  sometimes  must  be  cut,  in  order  that 
they  may  not  be  caught  by  them  when  in  the  nest. 

9.  Lice  may  be  avoided  by  frequent  bathing,  cleanliness  in 
the  cage,  and  dry  sand  mixed  with  anise  seed  and  scat  ton  '1  on 
the  floor. 


THE   GOLDFINCH. 


Synonyt;ic8. 

Fringilla  carJuclts,  Or  ORNITHOLOGISTS. 

Chardonncret,  Or  TUB  FRENCH, 

Distelfink,  ^tit-glitz,  Or  THE  GERMANS. 

Jilguero,  Or  THE  SPANIARDS. 

Pinta$ilgo,  Or  THE  PORTUGUESE. 

Calderino,  Or  THE  ITALIANS. 

<Mdfea.ThbU.Ftaa, 


F  all  cage  birds,  this  is  one  of  the  most  delightful, 
alike  from  the  beauty  of  its  plumage  and  the  excel- 
lence of  its  song,  its  proved  docility,  and  remarkable 
animation,  whose  body  is  almost  always  in  incessant  motion  — 
now  moving  to  the  right  and  now  to  the  left.  Its  song  is 
shrill,  agreeable,  and  heard  during  all  seasons,  excepting  only 
at  the  period  of  moulting.  It  contains,  besides  many  warbling 
and  twittering  notes,  on  which  it  dwells  more  or  less,  and  the 
oflcner  the  syllable  fink  is  repeated  the  more  it  is  admired. 
Some  utter  these  notes  only  once  or  twice  in  their  song,  and 
others  four  or  five  times  in  succession.  They  also  repeat  airs, 
and  the  songs  of  other  birds,  but  with  -difficulty  ;  for  they  have 
not  the  same  capacity  as  linnets  and  Canaries  for  these 
acquisitions. 

Their  docility  is  extraordinary,  for  they  will  even  learn  to 
fire  small  cannons  and  imitate  death.    They  may  also  be 
A    taught  to  draw  up  their  food  and  water  in  a  little  bucket. 


42  THE    GOLDFINCH. 

Mr.  Syme,  in  his  excellent  treatise  on  British  Song  Birds, 
gives  the  following  amusing  particulars  respecting  this  spe- 
cies:— "The  goldfinch  is  easily  tamed  and  easily  taught,  and 
its  capability  of  learning  the  notes  of  other  birds  is  well 
known;  but  the  tricks  it  may  be  taught  to  perform  are  truly 
astonishing.  A  few  years  ago,  the  Sieur  Roman  exhibited  his 
birds,  which  were  goldfinches,  linnets,  and  Canaries.  One 
appeared  dead,  and  was  held  up  by  the  tail  or  claws  without 
exhibiting  any  signs  of  life;  a  second  stood  on  its  head  with  its 
claws  in  the  air;  a  third  imitated  a  Dutch  milkmaid  going  to 
market  with  pails  on  its  shoulders;  a  fourth  mimicked  a 
Venetian  girl  looking  out  at  a  window;  a  fifth  appeared  as  a 
soldier,  and  mounted  guard  as  a  sentinel;  and  the  sixth  acted 
as  cannoneer,  with  a  cap  on  its  head,  a  firelock  on  its 
shoulder,  and  a  match  in  its  claws,  and  discharged  a  small 
cannon.  The  same  bird  also  acted  as  if  it  had  been 
wounded.  It  was  wheeled  in  a  barrow,  to  convey  it,  as  it 
were,  to  the  hospital,  after  which  it  flew  away  before  the 
company.  The  seventh  turned  a  kind  of  windmill ;  and  the 
last  bird  stood  in  the  midst  of  some  fireworks,  which  were 
discharged  all  round  it,  and  this  without  exhibiting  the  least 
symptom  of  fear." 

The  Goldfinch  is  very  generally  distributed  throughout 
Europe,  occurring  in  most  of  the  wooded  and  cultivated  dis- 
tricts. Its  song  commences  about  the  end  of  March,  and  con- 
tinues till  July  or  August.  It  may  often  be  found  in  company 
with  linnets,  whose  flight  it  somewhat  resembles. 


DESCRIPTION 

THE  goldfinch  is  five  inches  and  three  quarters  long,  of  which 
the  tail  occupies  two  inches.  The  beak  is  five  lines  long, 
sharply  pointed,  and  very  slightly  bent,  compressed  at  the 
sides,  whitish,  with  a  horn-colored  tip;  the  slender  feet  are 
brownish,  and  six  lines  high ;  the  front  of  the  head  is  of  a 
bright  scarlet  red ;  a  broad  margin  of  a  similar  color  surrounds 


THE    GOLDFINCH.  43 

the  base  of  the  beak;  the  chin  and  reins,  black;  the  vertex 
black,  terminating  in  a  stripe,  which  passes  the  back  of  the 
head,  and  descends  the  neck  on  each  side ;  on  the  top  of  the 
neck,  there  is  a  white  spot ;  the  cheeks  and  front  of  the  neck, 
white ;  the  back  of  the  neck  and  back  are  of  a  beautiful 
brown ;  the  rump  whitish,  with  a  brownish  tinge ;  the  longer 
f«  Mlliers  are  black;  both  sides  of  the  breast  and  the  flanks  of  a 
bright-brown;  the  middle  of  the  breast,  the  belly,  and  the 
vent,  whitish,  many  of  the  feathers  having  a  brownish  tinge ; 
the  thighs,  greyish;  the  pinion  feathers,  velvet-black,  with 
whitish  tips,  which  are  smallest  in  old  birds,  and  are  sometimes 
wanting  in  the  first  two  feathers;  the  middle  of  the  external 


THE    GOLDFINCH. 


web  with  a  golden-colored  stripe  an  inch  long,  which,  in  con- 
junction with  the  golden  yellow  tips  of  the  hinder  large  coverts, 
forms  a  beautiful  spot ;  the  coverts  otherwise  black ;  the  tail 
slightly  forked  and  black;  the  two,  and  sometimes  the  first 
three  pinion  feathers  having  a  white  ,«Mpot  in  the  centre  of  the 
inner  web;  the  rest  with  white  tips;,  .JDmetimes  also  the  third 
is  likevitise  entirely  black  at  the  sides. 

The  female  is  a  little  smaller,  not  so  broadly  and  beautifully 
red  about  the  beak ;  the  chin  brownish ;  the  cheeks  intermixed 
with  bright-brown;  the  small  coverts  of  the  wings,  brown,  and 
the  back  of  a  deeper  dark-brown. 

BREEDING. 

THE  female  goldfinch  rarely  lays  more  than  once  a-year, 
(consequently  these  birds  do  not  greatly  multiply,)  and  then 


THE   GOLDFINCH. 


p- — 

from  four  to  six  eggs,  which  upon  a  pale  sea-green  ground  arc 
'  marked  with  pale-red  spots  and  dots,  and  deep-red  stripes.  The 
young  are  fed  from  the  crop.  These,  before  they  first  moult, 
are  grey  upon  the  head.  They  can  be  reared  upon  poppy 
seeds  and  roll  steeped  in  milk  or  water.  They  have  greater 
facility  in  imitating  the  song  of  the  Canary  than  that  of  any 
other  bird ;  and  with  this  bird  they  will  produce  fertile  hybrids. 
To  effect  this,  a  male  goldfinch  is  placed  with  one  or  two  hen 
Canaries,  and  they  very  readily  pair,  especially  if  the  goldfinch 
has  been  reared  from  the  nest.  The  birds  which  spring  from 
this  union  are  not  only  beautiful  in  color  and  plumage— often 
yellow,  with  the  head,  wings,  and  tail  of  the  goldfinch — but 
they  will  be  found  to  excel  in  the  sweetness  and  variety  of 
their  song.  If  you  are  apprehensive  that  a  pair  of  valuable 
Canaries  will  not  thoroughly  hatch  their  eggs,  nor  let  their 
young  ones  die,  remove  them  to  the  nest  of  a  goldfinch ;  they 
will  not  only  hatch  them,  but  will  also  feed  the  young,  which, 
when  nearly  full  fledged,  may  be  placed  in  a  cage  until  they 
can  feed  themselves,  when  no  further  trouble  attends  their 
rearing. 

The  characteristics  which  mark  the  principal  varieties  of 
this  species  are  as  follows : — 

1.  Goldfinch  with  a  yellow  breast 

2.  The  White-headed  Goldfinch. 

3.  The  Black-headed  Goldfinch. 

4.  The  White  Goldfinch. 

5.  The  Black  Goldfinch. 

The  latter  are  either  entirely  black,  which  is  catteed  by 
age  or  in  being  fed  upon  hemp  seed,  or  they  retain  the  yellow 
spots  on  the  wings.  Mr.  Shelbach,  of  Cassel,  in  Germanyf 
reared  a  nest  of  goldfinches,  which  he  kept  entirely  secluded 
from  the  light  of  the  sun,  covering  the  cage  with  cloth. 
These  birds  were  of  a  jet-black,  with  yellow  spots,  but 
they  changed  color  atler  moulting.  Those  goldfinches  which 
become  black  before  old  age,  usually  resume  their  former 
color  after  moulting,  but  then  they  do  not  usually  live  much 
longer. 


THE    GOLDFINCH.  45     1' 


FOOD. 

THE  goldfinch  feeds  upr  n  varioas  kinds  of  seeds,  groundsel, 
succory,  salad,  cabbage,  rape,  linseed,  Canary,  thistle,  and 
alder  seeds,  &c.  In  the  cage,  it  must  be  fed  upon  poppy  seed 
and  hemp  seed,  the  first  being  given  as  its  usual  food.  If 
allowed  to  run  freely  about,  it  will  accustom  itself  to  the 
second  description  of  universal  food  described  at  page  13.  It 
may  also  have  given  to  it  all  sorts  of  green  things,  such  as 
salad,  cabbage,  lettuce,  and  water  cresses.  It  eats  voraciously, 
and  therefore,  when  allowed  to  run  about  in  the  chamber, 
perches  upon  the  trough,  and  chases  away,  with  a  threatening 
gesture,  every  bird  that  approaches;  whereas,  it  will  feed  with 
other  birds  that  have  any  kind  of  resemblance  to  it,  at  least 
with  respect  to  the  character  of  their  food,  such  as  Canary 
birds,  Siskins,  &c. 


DISEASES. 

THESE  birds  are  very  subject  to  epilepsy.  If  they  happen  to 
have  bad  and  swollen  eyes,  they  should  be  anointed  with  fresh 
butter.  Heaviness  and  greediness,  occasioned  by  feeding  too 
exclusively  upon  hemp  seed,  may  be  removed  by  giving  them 
in  lieu  of  it  soaked  salad  and  thistle  seeds.  It  contributes 
much  to  their  health,  if  occasionally  supplied  with  the  head  of 
a  thistle. 

In  old  age,  they  become  blind,  and  lose  the  beautiful  red 
and  yellow  colors  of  the  head  and  wings.  Although  frequently 
subject  to  sickness,  there  are  instances  of  their  having  lived  to 
the  age  of  sixteen  and  even  twenty-four  years, 


THE    LINNET. 


Synonymet 

ma,  Or  ORNITHOLOGISTS. 

I.iuot,  Or  THE  FRENCH. 

Hiiufling,  Lanniog,  Or  THE  GERMANS. 

Pnnlill<s  Or  THE  SPANIARDS. 

Pintorroxo,  Or  TDK  PORTCOC ESK. 

FuneUo,  Or  THE  ITALIAN*. 

Linnet,     Brown    Linnet,    i 

Whin   Linnet,    Llntio,  >  Or  THE  BRITISH. 

Greater  Red  Pole,  } 

(  Or   THE    ANOLO 
)       AMERICANS. 


HE  linnet,  from  its  natural  flute-like  voice,  cxjcls  most 
other  song  birds  in  its  power  of  beautifully  and 
purely  imitating  melodies  and  airs  which  are  piped 
to  it,  and  for  this  quality  it  is  especially  esteemed.  It  will 
also  learn  the  song  of  all  the  birds  in  the  room  or  cage 
that  it  hears.  Its  natural  song  consists  of  many  connected 
strophics,  and  is  the  more  beautiful  the  oftencr  it  utters  some 
high-sounding  notes,  which  are  called  its  "  crowing,"  from  its 
resemblance  to  the  crowing  of  a  cock.  It  sings  both  summer 
and  winter,  excepting  the  time  of  moulting. 


DESCRIPTION. 

THE  length  of  this  bird  is  more  than  five  inches,  of  which  the 
tail  measures  two  inches  and  a  half.  The  beak,  six  lines  long, 
is  dusky-blue  in  summer,  and  in  winter  greyish- white,  with  the  I 

» «I 


& 


THE   LINNET.  47 

point  brown;  the  iris  dark-brown;  the  feet,  eight  lines  high, 
are  black.  There  are  some  very  striking  varieties  produced 
by  the  season  and  age  in  the  plumage  of  the  male,  which  are 
not  observed  in  the  female,  and  these  have  caused  great  con- 
fusion in  works  on  birds. 

A  male  three  years  old  or  less,  is  distinguished  in  spring  by 
the  following  colors,  and  by  the  name  of  "  red  pole : " — The 
forehead  is  blood-red,  the  rest  of  the  head  reddish  ash-colored, 
the  top  rather  spotted  with  black ;  the  cheek,  sides  of  the  neck, 
and  the  circle  round  the  eyes,  have  a  reddish-white  tint ;  the 
feathers  of  the  back  are  chestnut,  with  the  edges  lighter ;  the 
upper  tail  coverts  are  black,  edged  with  reddish- white ;  the 
throat  and  under  part  of  the  neck  are  yellowish-white,  with 
some  dashes  of  reddish-grey;  the  sides  of  the  breast  are 


THE    L1NNKT 


blood-red,  edged  with  reddish- white ;  the  sides  of  the  belly  arc 
pale  rust-colored ;  the  rest  of  the  under  part  of  the  body  is 
reddish- white ;  the  greater  wing  coverts  are  black,  bordered 
with  reddish- white ;  the  others  are  rusty-brown  with  a  lighter 
border.  The  quill  feathers  are  black,  tipped  with  white ;  the 
first  are  edged  with  white  nearly  to  the  point ;  the  narrow 
beard  forms  a  parallel  white  streak  to  the  quill  feathers;  the 
tail  is  black  and  forked ;  the  four  outer  feathers  on  both  sides 
have  a  broad  white  border ;  that  of  the  two  middle  feathers  is 
narrower,  and  reddish-white. 

After  moulting,  in  autumn,  little  red  is  seen  on  the  forehead, 
because  the  feathers  become  colored  from  the  bottom  to  the  top ; 
the  breast  has  not  yet  acquired  its  red  tint,  for  the  white  border 
is  still  too  wide ;  but  when  winter  comes,  its  colors  appear. 


48  THE   LINNET. 

Males  one  year  old  have  no  red  on  the  head,  and  more 
dashes  of  black ;  the  breast  is  pale-red,  waved  with  pale  and 
dark;  the  under  part  of  the  feathers  on  the  breast  is  only  a 
bright,  reddish-grey  brown ;  the  edges  of  these  feathers  are  of  a 
reddish-white ;  the  back  rust-color,  having  detached  spots  of 
dark-brown  and  reddish- white.  These  birds  are  known  under 
the  name  of  "  grey  linnets." 

After  the  second  moulting,  if  the  reddish-grey  feathers  are 
blown  aside,  blood-red  specks  may  be  discovered  on  the 
forehead,  and  the  red  of  the  breast  is  only  hidden  by  the 
wide  yellowish-white  borders  to  the  feathers;  these  are  the 
"  yellow  linnets,"  or  the  "  rock  linnets,"  as  they  are  called  in 
Thuringia. 

Besides  these  three  different  varieties  of  plumage  of  the 
males,  there  are  several  clouded,  produced  by  the  seasons  and 
old  age ;  for  instance,  the  older  they  become,  the  redder  the 
head  is.  Birds  brought  up  in  the  house  never  acquire  the  fine 
red  on  the  forehead  and  breast,  but  remain  grey  like  the  i 
of  one  year  old;  on  the  other  hand,  old  ones,  red  when  brought 
into  the  house,  lose  their  beautiful  colors  at  the  first  moulting, 
and  remaining  grey  like  the  young  ones,  arc  no  more  than 
grey  linnets. 

This  difference  of  color  does  not  take  place  in  the  females, 
which  are  smaller  than  the  males ;  the  upper  part  of  the  body 
is  grey,  streaked  with  dusky-brown  and  yellowish-white,  on 
the  rump,  with  greyish-brown  and  reddish-white;  these  spots 
are  more  numerous  on  the  breast ;  the  wing  coverts  are  a 
dusky-chestnut  The  females  are  distinguished  in  the  nest  by 
the  back  being  more  grey  than  brown,  and  by  the  number  of 
streaks  on  the  breast,  which  resemble  that  of  the  lark ;  bird 
fanciers  leave  these  in  the  nest  and  take  only  the  males. 

Linnets  breed  twice  a-year,  and  lay  each  time  from  four  to 
six  bluish-white  eggs,  covered  all  over  with  flesh-colored 
and  reddish-brown  spots  and  stripes.  The  male  birds  may 
be  recognised  in  the  earlier  stage  of  their  growth  by  the 
white  ring  round  the  neck,  and  the  white  on  the  tail  and 
wings. 
@» 4 


THE    LINNET. 


HYBRID  ITY. 


49 


IT  is  common  for  a  male  linnet  to  pair  with  a  hen  Canary, 
and  hybrids  produced  by  this  means  are  easily  reared,  and 
can  scarcely  be  distinguished  from  other  grey  Canaries,  either 
from  their  appearance  or  song. 


FOOD  AND  MANAGEMENT. 

IN  confinement,  linnets  require  nothing  but  summer  cabbage 
seed,*  which  does  not  require  to  be  soaked,  as  they  are  na- 
turally seed-eating  birds,  having  a  powerful  crop  and  stomach, 
and  can  therefore  better  digest  it.  Hemp  seed,  they  must  not 
have  at  all.  They  must  not  be  too  well  fed  in  the  cage ;  for, 
taking  little  exercise,  they  would  soon  die  from  over-feeding. 

•  Winter  cabbage  seed,  which  does  not  injure  them  at  liberty,  soon  kills  them  In 
confinement. 


50 


THE    LISXET. 


They  like  salt,  and,  contrary  to  the  general  rule,  it  is  therefore 
well  occasionally  to  intermix  some  with  their  food ;  and  this  is  an 
excellent  preventive  against  various  maladies.  When  linnets 
are  allowed  to  run  about,  they  readily  feed  with  other  birds  on 
the  universal  paste.  Some  green  food  must  occasionally  be 
given  them,  as  also  sand  and  water,  as  they  like  to  bathe  and 
dust  themselves. 

It  is  best  to  keep  them  in  square  cages,  as  they  are  less 
subject  to  giddiness  in  these  than  in  round  ones,  and  sing 
better.  They  are  not  often  allowed  to  range  the  room,  as 
they  are  very  indolent,  remaining  immovable  in  the  same 
place,  and  running  the  risk  of  being  trodden  upon ;  but  if  a 
small  tree  or  a  roost  be  placed  in  a  corner,  they  may  be 
let  out  of  the  cage  with  safety,  as  they  will  remain  perched 
there,  only  leaving  it  to  eat  or  drink,  and  will  sing  all  day 
long. 

DISEASES. 

THE  most  common  disorders  of  this  species  are  const i 
pation,  atrophy,  and  epilepsy;  but  linnets  in  confinement 
will  generally  live  from  twelve  to  sixteen  yearn. 


THE   AMERICAN   GOLDFINCH. 


Synonyme*. 

Fringilla  tristit,  Or  ORNITHOLOGISTS. 

Cliardonnerot  jaune,  Or  THE  FRENCH. 

Amerikanischer  Distolfluk,  OP  THE  GERMANS. 

Jilguero  americano,  Or  THE  SPANIARDS. 

Pintacilgo  americano,  Cr  THE  PORTUGUESE. 

Calderino  americano,  Or  THE  ITALIANS. 

Yellow    Bird,    American  )  J    Or  THE  BRITISH  AND 

Goldfinch,  J  t     ANGLO-AMERICANS. 


very  beautiful  and  familiar  messenger  of  spring  is 
known  throughout  this  continent  from  the  49th  parallel 
of  north  latitude  to  the  savannas  of  Guiana  and  Suri- 
nam. As  summer  approaches,  the  males  cast  off  their  olive- 
colorevl  winter  suits,  and  appear  in  their  temporary  golden 
livery,  with  the  front  of  the  head,  wings,  and  tail  of  a  deep 
black,  when  they  may  be  heard  in  concert,  tuning  their  lively 
notes,  several  sitting  on  the  same  tree  enjoying  the  exhilerating 
scene,  basking  and  pluming  themselves,  and  vying  with  each 
other  in  pouring  forth  their  varied,  soft,  and  cheerful  song. 
When  they  sing  all  together,  as  they  now  do,  it  has  a  pleasing 
effect  ;  their  favorite  note  resembles  the  word  bab6e,  or  may  be, 
the  last  syllable  protracted  and  much  higher  than  the  first. 
They  have  also  a  note,  which  they  utter  when  flying  through 
the  air,  that  sounds  somewhat  like  the  word  physician,  pro- 
nounced very  rapidly.  But  the  most  beautiful  part  of  their 
song,  is,  when  they  raise  and  sink  their  voices  in  such  a  delight- 


52 


THE   AMERT4K   GOLDFINCH. 


ful  cadence,  that  their  music,  at  times,  seems  "  to  float  on  the 
distant  breeze,  scarcely  louder  than  the  hum  of  bees ;"  it  then 
breaks  out,  as  it  were,  into  a  crescendo,  which  rends  the  air  like 
the  loud  song  of  the  Canary. 

In  confinement,  the  yellow  bird  soon  becomes  familiar  and 
reconciled,  its  song  being  nearly  as  animated  and  sonorous 
as  its  transatlantic  congener.  According  to  Mr.  Audubon,  it  is 
extremely  hardy,  often  remaining  the  whole  winter  in  the 
Middle  States,  and  when  deprived  of  liberty,  will  live  to  a  great 
age  in  a  room  or  cage.  "  I  have  known  two  instances,"  says 
he,  tt  in  which  a  bird  of  this  species  had  been  confined  for 
upwards  of  ten  years.  They  were  procured  in  the  market  of 
New  York,  when  in  mature  plumage,  and  had  been  caught  in 
trap  cages.  One  of  them  having  undergone  the  severe  train- 
ing, more  frequently  inflicted  in  Europe  than  America,  and 
known  in  France  by  the  name  of  graferten,  would  draw  water 
for  its  drink  from  a  glass,  it  having  a  little  chain  attached  to  a 
narrow  belt  of  soft  leather  fastened  round  its  body,  and  another 
equally  light  chain  fastened  to  a  little  bucket,  kept  by  its 
weight  in  the  water,  until  the  little  fellow  raised  it  up  with  its 
bill,  placed  a  foot  upon  it,  and  pulled  again  at  the  chain  until 
it  reached  the  desired  fluid  and  drank,  when,  on  letting  go,  the 
bucket  immediately  fell  into  the  glass  below.  In  the  same 
-manner,  it  was  obliged  to  draw  towards  its  bill  a  little  charriot 
filled  .with  seeds;  and  in  this  distressing,  occupation  was 
doomed  to  toil  through  a  life  of  solitary  grief,  separated  from 
its  companions,  wantoning  on  the  wild  flowers,  and  procuring 
their  food  in  the  manner  in  which  nature  had  taught  them." 

The  food  of  the  American  goldfinch  consists  chiefly  of  the 
seeds  of  the  various  species  of  thistles,  lettuce,  hemp,  and  sun- 
flower; and  in  winter,  when  its  more  agreeable  food  is  not 
found  in  sufficient  abundance,  it  resorts  to  the  fruit  and  seeds 
of  the  elder.  It  also  collects  the  tender  buds  of  trees,  as  well 
as  the  confervas  of  brooks  and  springs,  as  a  variety  of  its 
usual  fare. 

These  birds  occasionally  do  some  damage  to  gardens  by 
their  indis:riminate  destruction  of  lettuce  and  flower  seeds, 


THE   AMERICAN   GOLDFINCH.  53 

and  they  arc  therefore  often  disliked  by  gardeners ;  but  their 
usefulness,  in  other  respects,  far  more  than  counterbalances 
the  trifling  injuries  tl.ey  produce. 

After  being  caught  in  trap  cages,  they  feed  as  if  quite  con- 
tented ;  but,  should  it  happen  to  be  in  the  spring  that  they  lose 
their  liberty,  and  have  thus  been  deprived  of  the  pleasures 
anticipated  from  the  previous  union  of  a  mate,  they  linger  for 
a  few  days,  pine  away,  and  die.  They  arc  very  fond  of 
washing  and  bathing  themselves,  in  clear  shallow  water,  when 
the  weather  is  mild,  after  which,  they  are  engaged  in  picking 
up  particles  of  sand  and  gravel,  from  which  the  fancier  mav 
take  a  useful  hint. 

It  is  stated  that  it  is  more  difficult  to  procure  a  mule,  or 
hybrid,  between  this  species  and  the  Canary,  than  between 
the  latter  and  the  European  goldfinch,  although  the  cross  has 
often  been  made  with  success. 


THE   AMERICAN    ROBIN. 


Synonyinct. 


Turdtu  migratoriut, 

Totird  emigrant,  Cricvo  du  ) 
Canada,  > 

Auswandcrcr  Droncl, 

Tonlo  migratorio, 

Turdo  emigrante, 

Tordo  mlgrante, 

American  Hobin,  Robin  Red- 
bre:uit,  Migrating  Thrush, 
lied-brcaaU'd  Thnuh, 


Or  OKMTHCII.OOMTI. 
Or  TUB  FRENCH. 

Or  TUB  GERMANS. 
Or  TUB  SPANIARDS. 

Or  TUB  PORTUOCESE. 

Or  THE  ITAUANS. 

'  Or  THE  BRITII n  AND 
AMU  LO-AM  KRICANI* 


|HE  Ar  icrican  robin  is  a  saucy  familiar  bird,  fond  of  man's 
neighborhood,  throughout  North  America,  from  the  56th 
parallel  of  north  latitude  to  the  table  lands  of  Mexico, 
and  is  more  frequently  to  be  seen  in  our  orchards  and  fields 
than  in  the  denser  woods.  The  confidence  he  reposes  in  us 
by  taking  up  his  abode  in  our  vicinage;  the  frankness  and 
innocence  of  his  manners;  the  simplicity  of  his  thrilling  lays, 
delivered  in  all  the  artless  energy  of  true  love ;  and  the  pecu- 
liar pleasure  with  which  we  listen  to  his  vocal  powers,  ever 
inspires  us  with  attachment  and  universal  respect  Besides, 
the  endearing  name  he  sometimes  bears,  recalls  to  mind 


T 


THE   AMERICAN  ROBIN.  55 

the  well-known  legend,  so  oft  repeated  in  our  juvenile  days, 
of  the  "  favorite  Robin  Redbreast,"  said  to  have  covered 
with  a  leafy  shroud  the  lost  and  wandering  "  babes  in 
the  wood."  He  is  commonly  called  "  robin,"  though  there 
is  but  little  resemblance  between  him  and  his  European 
congener,  except  in  the  single  circumstance  of  his  having 
a  re«l  breast. 


lit  KOl'KAN    ROBIN. 


.  The  American  robin,  when  reared  in  a  cage,  is  of  a  lively 
and  gentle  disposition,  docile,  and  seemingly  content,  and  the 
melody  and  simplicity  of  his  song,  of  which  he  is  very  lavish 
in  confinement,  renders  him  a  special  favorite.  He  sings  well, 
readily  learns  to  imitate  lively  parts  of  airs,  and  on  the 
authority  of  Mr.  Nuttall,  some  have  been  taught  to  pipe  forth 
psalms  even  tojso  solemn  a  measure  as  that  of"  Old  Hundred !" 
He  also  acquires  a  considerable  capacity  for  mimickry, 
imitating  the  notes  of  many  of  the  birds  around  him,  as 
those  of  the  pe-wee,  blue  bird,  and  whip-poor-will.  At  times, 
he  becomes  very  tame,  and  will  go  in  and  out  of  the  house 
with  domestic  confidence,  appear  uneasy  when  left  alone,  and 
will  follow  his  owner,  come  to  her  call,  peck  at  her  finger,  or 
kiss  her  mouth,  with  seeming  pleasure.  His  principal  song, 
rboth  in  confinement  and  at  large,  commences  in  the  morning 
before  sunrise,  and  at  which  time  it  is  very  loud,  emphatic, 
and  full. 

The  rufous  color  of  the  breast  becomes  deeper  in  those 
birds  brought  up  in  confinement,  and  the  females  are  somewhat 
paler  than  the  males.  The  young,  during  the  first  season,  are 
spotted  on  the  breast  with  dusk  and  white. 


FOOD  AND  MANAGEMENT. 

DURING  the  winter,  according  to  Mr.  Audubon,  the  robin 
feeds  on  the  berries  and  fruits  of  our  woods,  gardens,  and 
fields,  and  even  of  the  ornamental  trees  of  our  cities  and  larger 
towns.  The  holly,  sweet  gum,  gallberry,  and  the  poke  are 
those  it  first  attacks;  but  as  these  fail,  it  feeds  on  the 
mountain  ash,  Carolinian  cherry,  and  the  azedarach.  On  the 
latter,  in  their  annual  migrations  to  Florida  and  the  Southern 
States,  these  birds  often  glut  themselves  to  such  an  inordinate 
degree,  that  they  are  sometimes  found  stupified  by  its  narcotic 
power.  In  spring  and  summer,  they  devour  worms  and 
snails.  They  also  pick  up  from  the  fields  the  seeds  of 
maize. 

In  confinement,  this  bird  feeds  on  bread  soaked  either  in 
water  or  milk,  and  on  most  kinds  of  our  native  and  edible 
fruits.  Being  equally  fond  of  insects  as  when  at  liberty,  he 
seizes  on  all  that  enter  his  cage,  or  come  within  his  reach. 

The  robin  is  comparatively  a  hardy  and  long-lived  bird, 
and  instances  arc  reported  of  its  having  been  kept  for  nearly 
twenty  years.  It  suffers  much  in  moulting,  even  in  a  wild 
state,  and  when  in  captivity,  it  loses  nearly  alL  its  feathers  at 
once.  In  general,  when  due  care  is  observed  to  cleanliness,  it 
is  freer  from  parasitic  vermin  than  most  other  species. 


THE    SONG   THRUSH. 


Synonyincs. 


Turdu*  musicut) 
CJrive,  Tourd, 
Singdrossel, 

Tordo  cantador, 

Tordo, 

Song  Thrush, 


Or  ORNITHOLOGISTS. 
OF  THE  FRENCU. 
Op  THE  GERMANS. 
Or    THE   SPANIARDS 
AND  PORTUGUESE. 
Or  TUE  ITALIANS. 

()P  THE  BRITISH  AND 

ANGLO-AMERICANS. 


,HE  song  thrush  is  one  of  the  few  birds  whcse  clear 
and  beautiful  notes  animates  and  makes  pleasing  the 
European  woods.  From  the  summits  of  the  highest 
trees,  it  announces,  by  its  varying  song,  resembling  that  of  the 
nightingale,  the  approach  of  spring,  and  sings  throughout  the 
whole  summer,  especially  in  the  morning  dawn  and  evening 
twilight.  For  the  sake  of  this  song,  it  is  kept  by  fanciers  in  a 
cage,  whence  evening  and  morning,  even  as  early  as  February, 
it  will  delight  a  whole  street  by  its  loud  and  pleasing  song, 
when  hung  outside  of  the  window,  or  inside,  so  that  the  window 
be  a  little  open.  In  Thuringia,  it  is  reputed  to  articulate 
words.  Its  strophe  was  heard  formerly  more  frequently 
tha»  it  is  LOW.  Only  old  and  excellent  birds  still  sing  it. 
This  thrush  will  live  from  six  to  eight  years,  if  its  food  be 
varied. 


58 


THE    SOXG    THRUSH. 


DESCRIPTION. 

Tins  species  is  eight  inches  and  a  half  long,  of  which  the 
tail  occupies  three  inches  and  a  half;  the  beak  is  nine  lines 
long,  horny-brown  beneath,  and  from  the  middle  to  the  base, 
yellow;  the  irides  nut-brown;  the  feet  pale  lead-color,  one 
inch  high;  the  whole  of  the  upper  part  of  the  body  olive- 
brown  ;  the  throat  whitish-yellow,  with  a  black  stripe  extend- 
ing down  its  sides;  the  sides  of  the  neck  and  breast,  pale 
rcdush-yellow,  with  numerous  dark-brown,  heart-shaped 
spots;  the  abdomen  white,  with  oval  dark-brown  spots;  the 
inside  coverts  bright 'orange-yellow;  the  pinion  feathers  grey- 
brown  ;  the  tail  fiuithcrs  the  same. 


THK  sova  nun-Kit. 


In  the  female,  the  two  black  lines  of  the  throat  consist  ot 
small  stripes,  and  the  breast  is  pale  yellowish-white. 


FOOD  AND  MANAGEMENT. 

THE  food  of  the  song  thrush,  in  a  state  of  liberty,  consists 
generally  of  earth  worms,  but  in  autumn  they  cat  berries  of  all 
kinds.  Earth  worms  constitute  their  chief  sustenance,  with 
which  they  also  feed  their  young.  They  are  easily  fed  in  con- 
finement, and  the  universal  paste  is  an  agreeable  delicacy  to 
them.  Barley  meal,  or  merely  wheat  bran,  wetted  with  waier 
is  sufficient  to  nourish  them.  But  to  get  them  into  a  state  fit 
fv>r  song,  they  must  have  a  more  generous  diet,  such  as  roll, 


THE   SONG   THRUSH.  59 

bread,  meat,  and  many  other  things  which  come  to  table,  for 
they  are  not  dainty.    They  are  fond  of  bathing. 

In  confinement,  this  .bird  is  usually  placed  within  a  trellis, 
or  it  is  put  into  a  large  cage  of  any  shape,  but  at  least  three 
feet  and  a  half  long,  and  nearly  as  high;  for,  being  a  large  and 
wild  bird,  and  in  constant  motion,  it  easily  injures  its  plumage. 
It  is  best  that  such  large  birds  should  have  a  separate  room 
appropriated  to  them,  as  their  copious  excrements  smell 
offensively. 


DISEASES. 

THE  most  usual  maladies  to  which  this  bird  is  subject  are  a 
stoppage  of  the  feather  glands,  constipation,  and  atrophy. 


THE    MOCKING   BIRD. 


Synonyjnfs, 


Turdtis  polyglotttu, 
Polyglotte,  Tourd    poly- 
glottc,  Grand  Moqueur 
Vielzungler  Vogel, 
Tordo  poligloto, 
Tordo  polyglotto, 
Tordo  poliglotto, 

Mocking  Bird, 


Or  ORNITHOLOGISTS. 

Or  THE  FRENCH. 

Or  THE  GERMANS. 
Or  THE  SPANIARD*. 
Or  TOE  PORTUGUESE. 
Or  THE  ITALIANS. 
Or  THE  BRITISH  AND 
AV.I.  >- AMI.KK  \N~. 


|IIIS  "unrivalled  Orpheus  of  the  forest  and  natural 
I  wonder  of  America,"  inhabits  the  whole  continent  from 
'the  state  of  Massachusetts  along  the  Atlantic,  including 
several  of  the  West-India  Islands,  as  far  south  as  Brazil ;  and 
from  the  table  lands  of  Mexico,  along  the  very  base  of  the 
Rocky  Mountains  to  Oregon,  and  the  western  sources  of  the 
river  Platte.  In  short,  he  appears  to  dwell  permanently  in  the 
milder  regions  of  the  New  World,  in  either  hemisphere ;  and 
those  bred  north  of  the  Delaware,  on  this  side  of  the  equator, 
are  all  that  ever  migrate,  in  autumn,  to  more  congenial 
climes. 

The  mocking  bird,  though  destitute  of  brilliant  plumage,  is 
delicate  and  symmetrical  in  his  proportions  and  beautiful 
in  his  form.  His  motions  are  easy,  rapid,  and  graceful,  per- 
petually animated  with  a  playful  caprice,  and  a  look  that 
appears  full  of  shrewdness  and  intelligence.  He  listens  with 
silent  attention  to  each  passing  sound,  treasures  up  lessons 


THE   MOCKING    BIRD.  61     ^  ' 

from  anything  vocal,  and  is  capable  of  imitating  with  exact- 
ness, both  in  measure  and  accent,  the  notes  of  all  the  feathered 
race.  And,  however  wild  and  discordant  the  tones  and  calls 
may  be,  he  contrives  with  an  Orphean  talent,  peculiarly  his 
own,  to  infuse  into  them  that  sweetness  of  expression,  and 
harmonious  modulation  which  characterises  this  inimitable 
and  wonderfnl  composer.  With  the  dawn  of  morning,  while 
yet  the  sun  lingers  below  the  blushing  horizon,  our  sublime 
songster,  in  his  native  wilds,  mounted  on  the  topmost  branch 
of  a  tall  tree  or  bush,  pours  out  his  admirable  song,  which, 
amidst  the  multitude  of  notes  from  all  the  warbling  host,  still 
rises  pre-eminent,  so  that  his  solo  is  heard  alone,  and  all  the 
rest  of  the  musical  choir  appear  employed  as  mere  accom- 
paniments to  this  grand  actor  in  the  sublime  opera  of  nature. 
Nor  is  his  talent  confined  to  imitation;  his  native  notes  arc 
also  bold,  full,  and  perpetually  varied^  consisting  of  short  ex- 
pressions of  a  few  variable  syllables,  interspersed  with  imita- 
tions, and  uttered  with  great  emphasis  and  volubility,  sometimes 
for  half  an  hour  at  a  time,  with  undiminished  ardor.  These 
native  strains  bear  a  considerable  resemblance  to  those  of  the 
brown  thrush,  with  which  he  is  so  nearly  related  in  form, 
habits,  and  manners ;  but  like  him,  rude  from  cultivated  genius, 
his  notes  are  distinguished  by  the  rapidity  of  their  delivery,  their 
variety,  sweetness,  and  energy*  As  if  conscious  of  his  un- 
rivalled powers  of  song,  and  animated  by  the  harmony  of  his 
own  voice,  his  music  is,  as  it  were,  accompanied  by  chromatic 
dancing  and  expressive  gestures;  he  spreads  and  closes  his 
light,  fanning  wings,  expands  his  silvered  tail,  and,  with 
buoyant  gaiety  and  enthusiastic  ecstacy,  sweeps  around,  and 
mounts  and  descends  into  the  air  from  his  lofty  spray,  as  his 
song  swells  to  loudness,  or,  in  sinking  whispers,  dies  away. 
While  thus  engaged,  so  varied  is  his  talent,  that  it  might  be 
supposed  a  trial  of  skill  from  all  the  assembled  songsters  of 
the  air ;  and  so  perfect  are  his  imitations,  that  even  the  sports- 
man is  at  times  deceived,  and  sent  in  quest  of  birds  that  have 
no  existence  around.  The  feathered  tribes  themselves  are 
decoyed  by  the  fancied  call  of  their  mates ;  or  dive  with  fear 


62  THE    MOCKING   BIRD. 

into  the  close  thicket,  at   the  well-feigned   scream    of   the 
hawk. 

Soon  reconciled  to  the  usurping  fancy  of  man,  the  mocking 
bird  often  becomes  familiar  with  his  master;  playfully  attacks 
him  through  the  bars  of  his  cage,  or  at  large  in  a  room;  rest- 
less and  capricious,  he  seems  to  try  every  expedient  of  a  lively 
imagination,  that  may  conduce  to  his  amusement.  Nothing 
escapes  his  discerning  and  intelligent  eye  nor  faithful  car.  He 
whistles,  perhaps,  for  the  dog,  who,  deceived,  runs  to  meet  his 
master;  the  cries  of  the  chicken  in  distress  bring  out  the 
clucking  mother  to  the  protection  of  her  brood.  The  barking 
of  the  dog,  the  piteous  wailing  of  the  puppy,  the  mew,  ng  of  the 
cat,  the  action  of  a  saw,  or  the  creaking  of  a  wheelbarrow 
quickly  follow  with  exactness.  He  repeats  a  tune  of  consider- 
able length;  imitates  the  warbling  of  the  Canary,  the  lisping  of 
the  indigo  bird,  and  the  mellow  whistle  of  the  card  jial,  in  a 
manner  so  superior  to  the  originals,  that,  mor  (tied  and 
astonished,  they  withdraw  from  his  presence,  or  listen  in 
silence,  as  he  continues  in  triumph. 

In  the  cage,  also,  nearly  as  in  the  woods,  he  is  full  of  life  and 
action,  while  engaged  in  song;  throwing  himself  round  with 
inspiring  animation,  and,  as  it  were,  moving  in  time  to  the 
melody  of  his  own  accents.  Even  the  hours  of  night,  which 
consign  nearly  all  other  birds  to  silence  and  rest,  like  the 
nightingale,  he  oft  employs  in  song,  serenading  the  houseless 
hunter  and  silent  cottager  to  repose,  as  the  rising  moon 
illumines  the  darkness  of  the  shadowy  scene.  His  capricious 
fondness  for  contrast  and  perpetual  variety  appears  to  dete- 
riorate his  powers.  His  lofty  imitations  of  the  musical  brown 
thrush  are  perhaps  interrupted  by  the  crowing  of  the  cock,  or 
the  barking  of  the  dog;  the  plaintive  warblings  of  the  blue 
bird  are  then  blended  with  the  wild  scream  and  chatter  of  the 
swallow,  or  the  cackling  of  the  hen ;  amid  the  simple  lay  of 
the  native  robin,  we  are  surprised  with  the  vociferations  of  the 
whip-poor-will ;  while  the  notes  of  the  garrulous  jay,  kildeer, 
woodpecker,  Baltimore  wren,  and  many  others  succeed,  with 
such  an  appearance  of  reality,  that  we  imagine  ourselvos 


_ , 

THE    MOCKING   BIRD. 

in  the  presence  of  the  originals,  and  can  scarcely  realise  the 
fact,  that  the  whole  of  this  singular  concert  is  the  effort  of  a 
single  bird.  Indeed,  it  is  impossible  to  listen  to  these  Orphean 
strains,  when  delivered  by  a  superior  songster  in  his  native 
woods,  without  being  deeply  affected,  and  almost  rivetted  to 
the  spot,  by  the  complicated  feelings  of  wonder  and  delight,  in 
which,  from  the  graceful  and  sympathetic  action,  as  well  as 
enchanting  voice  of  the  performer,  the  eye  is  no  less  gratified 
than  the  ear.* 


DISTINCTION  BETWEEN  THE  MALE  AND  FEMALE. 

THE  young  male  bird,  which  must  be  selected  as  a  singer, 
may  be  distinguished  by  the  breadth  and  purity  of  the  white 
on  the  wings.  This  white  spot,  in  a  full-grown  male,  spreads 
over  the  whole  nine  primaries,  down  to,  and  considerably 
below,  their  coverts,  which  are  also  white,  sometimes  slightly 
tipped  with  brown.  The  white  of  the  primaries,  also,  extends  to 
the  same  distance  on  both  vanes  of  the  feathers.  In  the  female, 
the  white  is  less  clear,  spreads  only  over  seven  or  eight  of  the 
primaries,  does  not  descend  so  far,  and  extends  considerably 
further  down  on  the  broad  than  on  the  narrow  side  of  the 
feathers.  The  black  is  also  more  inclined  to  brown. 


FOOD  AND  MANAGEMENT. 

IN  a  state  of  freedom,  the  principal  food  of  the  mocking 
bird  consists  of  insects,  grasshoppers,  and  worms.  Dew- 
berries from  the  fields,  and  many  kinds  of  our  cultivated 
fruits,  together  with  insects,  supply  the  young. as  well  as  the 
parents  with  food.  In  winter,  they  chiefly  subsist  on  berries, 
particularly  those  of  the  Virginia  juniper,  (red  cedar,)  wax 
myrtle,  holly,  smfax,  sumach,  sour  gum,  and  a  variety  of 
others. 

*  NattalL 


64  THE   MOCKING   BIRD. 

Success!  /I  attempts  have  been  made  to  breed  these  birds 
in  confinement  by  allowing  them  retirement  and  a  sufficiency 
of  room.  Those  which  have  been  taken  in  trap  cages  are 
accounted  the  best  singers,  as  they  come  from  the  school  of 
nature,  and  are  taught  their  own  wild  wood  notes.  The  young 
are  easily  reared  by  hand  from  the  nest,  from  which  they 
ought  to  be  removed  at  eight  or  ten  days  old.  Their  food  is 
thickened  meal  and  water,  or  meal  and  milk,  mixed  occasion- 
ally with  tender  fresh  meat,  minced  fine.  Animal  food,  almost 
alone,  finely  divided  and  soaked  in  milk,  is  at  first  the  only 
nutriment  suited  for  raising  these  tender  nurslings.  Young 
and  old  require  berries  of  various  kinds,  from  time  to  time, 
such  as  cherries,  strawberries,  whortleberries,  &c.,  and,  in 
short,  any  kind  of  wild  fruits  of  which  they  are  fond,  if  not 
given  too  freely,  are  useful.  A  few  grasshoppers,  beetles,  or 
any  insects  conveniently  to  be  had,  as  well  as  gravel,  are  also 
necessary ;  and  spiders  will  often  revive  them  when  drooping 
or  sick.  But,  notwithstanding  all  the  care  and  management 
bestowed  upon  the  improvement  of  this  bird,  it  is  painful  to 
reflect  that  his  extraordinary  powers  of  nature,  exercised  with 
so  much  generous  freedom  in  a  state  of  confinement,  are  not 
calculated  for  long  endurance ;  for,  after  this  most  wonderful 
and  interesting  prisoner  has  survived  six  or  seven  years, 
blindness  often  terminates  his  gay  career — thus  shut  out  from 
the  cheering  light  of  heaven,  the  solace  of  his  lonely,  though 
active  existence,  he  now,  after  a  time,  droops  in  silent  sadness 
and  dies.  At  times,  this  bird  is  so  infested  with  a  minute 
species  of  louse  as  to  be  destroyed  by  it 

Good  singing  birds  of  this  species  generally  command  from 
$5  to  $15  each,  though  individuals  of  extraordinary  and 
peculiar  powers  have  been  sold  as  high  as  $50,  or  $100,  each, 
ane  even  $300  have  been  refused  ! 


THE    BROWN    THRUSH. 


Synonymes. 

Turdus  rufua,  Or  ORNITHOLOGISTS. 

Tourd  roiix,  OF  THE  FRENCH. 

Rother  Drossel,  Or  THE  GERMANS. 

Tordo  rojo,  Or  THE  SPANIARDS. 

Tordo  ruco,  Or  THE  PORTUGUESE. 

Tordo  rosso,  Or  THE  ITALIANS. 

Brown  Thrush,  Ferruginous  )  J  Or  THE  BRITISH  AND 

Thrush,  Thrasher,               {  \    ANGLO-AMERICANS. 

French  Mockirg  Bird,  Or  THE  SOUTHERN  STATICS. 


(HIS  large,  cheerful,  and  familiar  songster,  inferior  to  none 
in  musical  talent,  if  we  except  the  mocking  bird,  is  found 
in  almost  every  part  of  the  United  States  from  Canada 
to  the  shores  of  the  Mexican  Gulf,  breeding,  according  to  Mr. 
Nuttall,  in  all  the  intermediate  space,  though  more  abundantly 
towards  the  north.  His  voice  somewhat  resembles  that  of  the 
European  thrush,  but  is  far  more  varied  and  powerful,  rising 
pre-eminent  amidst  the  forest  choir.  He  takes  no  delight  in 
mimicking  the  song  of  other  birds,  and  therefore  has  no  claim 
to  the  title  of  "  mocking  bird,"  as  he  is  usually  called  at  the 
south. 

On  the  first  appearance  of  this  bird  in  the  spring,  he  faulters 
in  his  song,  like  the  nightingale,  but  when  his  mate  commences 
the  cares  and  labors  incident  to  breeding  and  rearing  her 
young,  his  varied  and  melodious  notes  are  steadily  poured  out 


66  THE   BROWN   THRUSH. 

in  all  their  vigor  and  strength.  In  the  month  of  May,  while 
the  blooming  orchards  perfume  the  air  and  decorate  the 
landscape,  his  enchanting  voice,  in  his  affectionate  lay,  seems 
to  give  grateful  utterance  for  the  bounty  and  teeming  pro- 
fusion of  nature,  and  falls  in  pleasing  unison  with  the  har- 
mony and  beauty  of  the  season.  And  even  the  young  birds, 
in  a  state  of  solitary  domesticity,  without  the  aid  of  their 
parent's  voice,  already  whisper  forth  in  harmonious  reverie 
the  pathetic  and  sweet  warble  instinctive  to  the  species. 

Deprived  of  other  society,  in  a  state  of  captivity,  the  brown 
thrush  is  exceedingly  familiar,  cheerful,  and  capriciously 
playful.  He  courts  the  attention  of  his  keeper,  follows  his 
steps,  complains  when  neglected,  flies  to  him  when  permitted 
to  be  at  large,  and  gratefully  sings  and  reposes  when  perched 
on  his  hand.  In  short,  in  all  his  actions,  he  appears  capable  of 
real  and  affectionate  attachment ;  but,  like  many  other  animals, 
he  is  jealous  of  every  rival,  particularly  any  other  bird,  which 
he  drives  from  his  presence  with  unceasing  hatred. 


FOOD  AND  MANAGEMENT. 

ACCORDING  to  Audubon,  the  natural  food  of  this  species  con- 
sists of  insects,  worms,  berries,  and  fruits  of  all  sorts,  being 
particularly  fond  of  ripe  pears  and  figs.  In  winter,  they 
resort  to  the  berries  of  the  sumach,  holly,  dogwood,  and  shriv- 
elled wild  grapes. 

In  a  state  of  confinement,  these  birds  may  be  reared  in  the 
same  manner,  and  on  the  same  kind  of  food  as  their  congener, 
the  mocking  bird.  In  the  autumn,  of  the  first  season,  the 
young  begin  their  musical  studies, "  repeating  passages  with 
as  much  zeal  as  ever  did  Paganini."  By  the  following  spring, 
their  lessons  are  complete  and  the  full  powers  of  their  song 
developed. 

Like  the  American  robin,  the  brown  thrush  suffers  much  in 
moulting,  and  often  nearly  loses  all  his  feathers  at  once. 


THE    CAT   BIRD. 


Syiionymes. 

Turdus  felivoX)  Or  ORNITHOLOGISTS. 
Gbbe-raouche  brim  de  Vir-  ) 

ginie,  Mouchcrolle  de  Vir-  V  Cr  THE  FRENCH. 

giuic,  Tourd  miaulant,       ) 

Miauendrossel,  Or  THE  GERMANS. 

Tordo  de  maullido,  Or  THE  SPANIARDS. 

Tordo  miante,  Or  THE  PORTUGUESE. 

Tordo  miagolare,  Or  TUB  ITALIANS. 

P  ,  niivl  <  Or  THE  BRITISH  AND 

catuira,  |    ANGLO-AMERICANS. 

NE  of  the  most  remarkable  propensities  of  this  quaint 
and  familiar  songster,  which  inhabits  almost  every 
part  of  North  America  from  Mexico  to  Canada,  and 
even  Kamtschatka,  is  the  unpleasant,  loud,  grating,  and 
grimalkin-like  mew,  ('pay,)  that  it  often  utters,  on  being 
offended  or  approached ;  and  thus  coupled  with  the  name  of  a 
"  wizzard  animal,"  so  much  disliked  by  many,  this  delightful 
vocalist,  which  seeks  out  the  very  society  of  man,  and 
reposes  an  unmerited  confidence  in  his  protection,  is  generally 
treated  with  undeserved  obloquy  and  contempt. 

"  The  cat  bird,"  says  Nuttall,  "  often  tunes  his  cheerful  song 
before  the  break  of  day,  hopping  from  bush  to  bush,  with  great 
agility,  after  his  insect  prey,  while  yet  scarcely  distinguish- 
able amidst  the  dusky  shadows  of  the  dawn.  The  notes  of 
different  individuals  vary  considerably,  so  that  sometimes  his 
song,  in  sweetness  and  compass,  is  scarcely  at  all  inferior  to 


r 


68  THE   CAT   BIRD. 

that  of  the  ferruginous  thrush.  A  quaintness,  however,  pre- 
vails in  all  his  efforts,  and  his  song  is  frequently  made  up  of 
short  and  blended  imitations  of  other  birds,  given  however, 
with  great  emphasis,  melody,  and  variety  of  tone;  and,  like 
the  nightingale,  invading  the  hours  of  repose,  in  the  late 
twilight  of  a  summer's  evening,  when  scarce  another  note  is 
heard  but  the  hum  of  the  drowsy  beetle,  his  music  attains  its 
full  effect,  and  often  rises  and  falls  with  all  the  swell  and 
studied  cadence  of  finished  harmony.  During  the  heat  of 
the  day,  or  late  in  the  morning,  the  variety  of  his  song 
declines,  or  he  pursues  his  employment  in  silence  and 
retirement" 

About  the  dawn  of  day,  if  at  large,  the  cat  bird  flirts  about  with 
affected  wildness,  repeatedly  jerks  his  wings  and  tail,  with  a 
noise  somewhat  resembling  a  whip,  stretching  forth  his  head, 
opens  his  mouth,  and  mews.  Sometimes  this  curious  cry  is  so 
guttural  as  to  be  uttered  without  opening  his  bill.  He  often 
also  gives  a  squeal  as  he  flies  from  one  place  to  another. 

According  to  Latham,  this  bird  is  also  capable  of  imitating 
the  variable  airs  of  instrumental  music,  and  will  sometimes 
mimick  the  cry  of  chickens  so  as  to  deceive  and  distress  the 
parent  hen.  When  reared  from  the  nest,  he  is  easily  domes- 
ticated, becomes  a  very  amusing  companion,  and  seems 
attached  to  his  cage.  Although  a  pleasant  songster,  he  is 
seldom  kept  in  confinement,  and  1  believe  all  attempts  at 
breeding  it,  have  failed. 


FOOD  AND  MANAGEMENT. 

THE  natural  food  of  this  species  is  similar  to  that  oi  the 
ferruginous  thrush,  consisting  principally  of  insects  and 
worms,  particularly  beetles  and  wasps,  and  the  \  arious  kinds 
of  garden  fruits. 

In  confinement,  the  food  of  these  birds  may  be  almost 
everything  that  is  vegetable,  except  unbruiscd  seeds,  such  as 
bread,  fine  pastry,  containing  little  or  no  spices,  cakes, 


THE   CAT   BIRD.  69 

scalded  Indian  meal,  juicy  fruits,  and  now  e/id  then  some 
bread  boiled  in  milk,  a  few  insects,  or  minced  flesh.  The 
young,  when  taken  from  the  nest,  may  be  fed  on  ripe  cherries, 
and  other  kinds  of  juicy  fruits. 

"  Like  all  other  thrushes,"  says  Mr.  Audubon,  "  this  is  very 
fond  of  bathing  and  rolling  itself  in  the  dust  or  sand  of  the 
roads  and  fields.  Several  are  frequently  seen  together  in  the 
borders  a0  small  ponds  or  clear  rivulets,  immersed  up  to  their 
body,  splashing  the  water  about  them  until  completely  wetted ; 
then  ascending  to  the  top  of  the  nearest  bushes,  they  plume 
themselves  with  apparent  care,  notwithstanding  which,  they 
are  at  times  so  infested  with  a  minute  species  of  louse  as  to  be 
destroyed  by  it." 


1\IE   EUROPEAN   BLACKBIRD. 


Synonymct. 

Turdut  merit/a,  Or  ORNITHOLOGISTS. 

Merle,  Or  IBB  FRENCH. 

Schwarzdrossel,  Or  THE  GERMANS. 

M.-rl.i  <   Or  THB  SPANIARDS 

(       AND  ITALIAN*. 

Melro,  Or  TUB  PORTUGUESE. 

Blackbird,  Or  TUB  BRITISH. 

English  Blackbird,  Or  TUB  AXOLO-AMKBICANI. 

EING  a  permanent  resident  throughout  the  whojc  of 
the  Old  World,  even  as  far  north  as  Sweden,^be 
European  Blackbird  is  sufficiently  hardy  by  nature 
to  withstand  the  climate  of  nearly,  if  not  all  parts  of  the 
United  States.  Of  all  the  thrushes,  with  perhaps  the  exception 
of  the  American  robin,  he  is  the  most  capable  of  instruction. 
His  song  is  rich  in  melody,  and  contains  some  deep  notes  like 
those  of  the  nightingale,  varied,  indeed,  with  some  which  are 
disagreeably  harsh.  At  large,  he  sings  only  from  March  to 
July,  especially  at  night;  but  in  the  cage,  during  the  whole 
year  except  at  moulting  time.  A  single  bird  will  enliven  a 
whole  street,  so  pure,  distinct,  and  clear  is  his  note.  His 
memory,  also,  is  so  good,  that  he  will  learn  several  airs  and 
melodies  without  mixing  them;  and  sometimes  even  to 
imitate  words.  Neither  does  he  forget  what  he  has  once 
well  acquired. 


THE    EUROPEAN   BLACKBIRD.  71 


DESCRIPTION. 

THE  European  blackbird  is  about  the  size  of  the  song  thrush, 
nine  inches  and  a  half  long,  of  which  the  tail  comprises  four 
inches.  The  beak  is  one  inch  long,  and  of  a  golden-yellow ; 
the  irides  dark-brown;  the  feet  black,  and  fourteen  lines  high. 
The  male  is  entirely  of  a  deep-black ;  the  female  black-brown, 
rusty-colored  on  the  breast,  and  with  an  ash-colored  tinge 
upon  the  abdomen;  the  throat,  spotted  with  light  and  dark- 
brown  ;  the  beak  and  the  feet,  black-brown,  appearing  also  to 
be  rather  larger  and  heavier,  and  hence  it  has  sometimes  been 
considered  a  distinct  species. 


FOOD  AND  MANAGEMENT. 

WHEIC  wild,  the  blackbird,  like  other  species  of  thrush, 
feeds  on  all  kinds  of  edible  berries,  such  as  the  elder, 
cherry,  and  mountain  ash ;  and  when  this  food  is  not  abund- 
ant, it  satisfies  itself  with  the  tips  of  the  white  thorn.  At  this 
time,  it  often  seeks  for  insects  near  the  vicinity  of  warm 
springs. 

In  confinement,  these  birds  are  content  with  the  first  kind  of 
universal  paste,  described  at  page  13,  but  will  also  eat  bread, 
meat,  and  most  kinds  of  food  that  comes  to  table.  The  young, 
which  must  be  taken  from  the  nest  when  their  quills  have 
but  just  sprung,  can  be  reared  upon  roll  steeped  in  milk. 

The  blackbird  should  be  kept  in  a  large  cage,  for  it  is  not 
prudent  to  allow  it  to  associate  with  other  birds,  as  either 
through  covetousness  or  caprice,  it  will  attack  the  smaller 
kinds,  and  even  peck  them  to  death.  Like  all  the  allied 
species,  this  bird  is  fond  of  frequent  bathing,  and  consequently 
should  be  amply  supplied  with  the  means.  In  captivity, 
he  will  live  from  twelve  to  fifteen  years,  especially  if  his 
food  be  varied. 


THE  EUROPEAN  BLACKBIRD. 


DISEASES. 

THE  blackbird  is  particularly  subject  to  a  stoppage  of  the 
oil  gland,  which  may  be  softened  by  the  application  of  fresh 
butter,  mixed  up  with  a  good  deal  of  sugar,  the  aperture  being 
enlarged  by  gently  distending  it  with  a  needle,  or  a  small 
knife ;  but  a  lead  salve,  or  rather  a  salve  of  litharge  of  silver, 
white  lead,  wax,  and  olive  oil,  which  must  be  ordered  at  an 
apothecary's,  opens  it  best  The  usual  remedy  is  to  pierce  it 
with  a  needle,  or  to  cut  off  the  hardened  gland.  If  this  evil 
have  not  yet  too  severely  affected  the  health  of  the  bird,  it 
may  be  sought  to  be  remedied  by  puncturing  the  gland,  com- 
pressing it  frequently,  bathing  the  bird  with  a  syringe,  and 
plucking  out  some  of  the  feathers  of  the  tail.  The  accumulated 
fat  is  absorbed  in  the  renewal  of  the  feathers,  when  the  gland 
i  »sumcs  its  natural  functions. 


THE   RICE   BUNTING. 


Synonymes. 

Ictertu  agripennis,  Kmberiza  oryzirora, 
Ortolan  agripcnne,  Ortolan  de  riz, 
Bete  Ortolan,  FeUammer  ron  Carolina, 
Hortclano  de  arroz,    Hortclano    con ) 

pluraas  agrias, 

Ccnchramo  d'arroz,  Cenchramo  com  > 
pennas  agudas,  ) 

Ortolano  di  HBO, 

Rice  Bunting,  Rice  Troopial,  Rice  Bird, 
Rcetl  Bird,  Boblink,  Boh-o-link,  Bob 
Lincoln,  Bob  Linklin?,  Skunk  Black- 
bird, Meadow  Bird,  Butter  Bird, 


Or  ORMTHOLOOIF 
Or  TUB  FRENCH. 
Or  THE  GERMANS. 

Or  TIIK  SPANIARDS. 

Or  THE  PoRToauxic. 
Or  THE  ITALIANS. 

(  Or  THE  BRITISH  AND 
)    ANOLO-AMERICANS. 


,HIS  well-known  and  truly  migratory  bird,  familiarly 
known  to  everybody  by  the  name  of  "  Bob  Lincoln/' 
who,  as  a  stranger,  perhaps,  thinks  it  a  point  of  polite- 
ness thus  to  announce  himself,  as  he  sits  on  a  rail  of  the  fence, 
or  the  branch  of  a  tree,  on  his  annual  return  in  the  spring  from 
the  south,  inhabits  the  whole  continent  of  America,  from 
Labrador  to  Mexico ;  although  his  winter  residence  appears  to 
be  more  confined  to  Cuba,  Jamaica,  and  other  West-India 
Islands  than  to  the  main. 


74  THE   KICK   BUKTINt. 

In  the  month  of  May,  these  birds  fix  their  abodes  in  th«i 
"savannahs"  of  Ohio  and  Michigan,  and  the  cool  p: 
"meadows"  of  New  York,  Canada,  and  Neiv  England  lor  thr 
purpose,  principally,  for  hatching  and  rearing  their  young. 
The  song  of  the  male  continues,  with  but  little  intcrrujr 
during  the  period  of  incubation,  and  his  chant,  at  all  times 
very  similar,  is  both  singular  and  pleasant  tt  Often,  like  the 
skylark,  mounted  and  hovering  on  the  wing,  at  a  small  height 
above  the  field,  as  he  passes  along  from  one  tree  top  or  weed 
to  another,  he  utters  such  a  jingling  melody  of  short  variable 
notes,  so  confused,  rapid,  and  continuous,  that  it  appears 
ItJfflW*  like  the  blending  song  of  several  different  birds. 
Many  of  these  tones  arc  very  agreeable,  but  they  are  delivered 
with  such  rapidity  that  the  ear  can  scarcely  separate  them. 
The  general  effect,  however,  like  all  the  simple  efforts  of 
nature,  is  good,  and  when  several  are  chantnW  forth  in  the 
same  meadow,  the  concert  is  very  cheerful,  thougftmonotonous, 
and  somewhat  quaint  Among  the  few  phrases  that  can  be  dis- 
tinguished, the  liquid  sound  of  Hob-o-ke,  or  Bob-v-link,  Bob-o-  » 
link*,  is  very  distinct 

"  To  give  an  idea  of  the  variable  extent  of  song,  and  ev< 
imitation,  in  some  measure,  of  the  chromatic  period  and  air  of 
this  familiar  and  rather  favorite  resident,  the  boys  of  this  part 
of  New  England,  [Cambridge,]  make  him  shout  among  others, 
the  following  ludicrous  dunning  phrase,  as  ho  rises  and  hovers 
on  the  wing  near  his  mate : — *  */&>6-o-/in&,  'Bob-o-link,  "Tom 
Denny,  'Tom  Denny — 'Come  pay  me  the  ttco-and-six-pence  you're 
owed  men  than  a  year  and  a  half  egn!—'ishr  'tshe  'tshi,  'tsh  '/«& 
V*fcr,'  modestly  diving  at  the  same  instant  down  into  the  grass, 
as  if  to  avoid  altercation.  However  puerile  this  odd  phrase 
may  appear,  it  is  quite  amusing  to  find  how  near  it  approaches 
to  the  time,  and  expression  of  the  notes,  when  pronounced  in  a 
hurried  manner."* 

This  relish  for  song  and  merriment,  confined  wholly  to  the 
male,  diminishes  as  the  period  of  incubation  advances,  and 
when  the  young  brood  begin  to  flutter  around  their  parents, 

•  NuttalL 


THE   RICE   BUNTING. 

the  song  becomes  less  freqent.  Sometimes  the  female  is 
inclined  to  have  a  second  brood,  for  which  preparation  is  made 
while  she  is  yet  engaged  in  rearing  the  first;  but  tne  male 
generally  loses  his  musical  talent  about  the  first  week  in  July ; 
from  which  time,  or  perhaps  earlier,  his  spring  or  pied  dress 
begins  gradually  to  be  laid  aside  for  the  more  humble  brownish- 
black  and  brownish-yellow  garb  of  the  female,  the  whole,  both 
old  and  young,  then  appearing  nearly  in  the  same  songless 
livery,  uttering  only  a  chink  of  alarm  when  surprised. 

When  the  voice  of  the  male  begins  to  fail,  with  the  progress 
of  the  exhausting  moult,  he  flits  over  the  fields  in  a  restless 
manner,  and  merely  utters  a  broken  Wlee  'boVlee,  or  witli  his 
songless  mate,  at  length,  a  'wect  *weett  Vleet  b'leet,  or  a  noisy  and 
disagreeable  cackling  chirp.  But  at  the  early  dawn  of  day, 
while  the  tuneful  talent  of  the  species  is  yet  unabated,  the 
effect  of  their  awakening  and  faultering  voices,  jingling 
throughout  the  wide  expanse  of  meadows  is  singular  and 
grand.  These  sounds  mingle  like  the  noise  of  a  distant  torrent 
which  alternately  subsides  and  rises  on  the  breeze,  as  t'ue 
performers  awake  or  relapse  into  rest;  finally,  they  become 
more  distinct  and  tumultuous,  till,  with  the  opening  day,  they 
assume  the  intelligible  character  of  their  ordinary  song. 

From  the  varied  and  changing  plumage  of  this  pleasing,  and 
in  some  respects  ludicrous  bird,  as  well  as  for  the  singularity 
of  his  song,  he  is  eagerly  sought  after  by  fanciers,  and  usually 
commands  a  fair  price.  Large  numbers  are  annually  captured 
in  the  Northcn  States  in  trap  cages  and  fed,  almost  immediately 
after  which,  they  resume  their  song.  Many  are  purchased  and 
carried  to  Europe,  often  to  the  disappointment  of  the  adven- 
turer, in  regard  to  his  profits,  as,  by  the  time  they  reach  their 
destination,  they  change  their  livery  and  cease  to  sing. 

FOOD  AND  MANAGEMENT. 

THE  food  of  the  rico  buntings  varies  according  to  the  season 
and  locality  in  which  they  veside.  Although  on  their  early 
arrival  at  the  north  it  consists  of  grubs,  worms,  caterpillars, 


76  THR   RICE   BUNTING.      , 

beetles,  grasshoppers,  crickets,  ground  spiders,  &c.,  they 
frequently  Iced  on  the  seeds  of  dandelions  and  docks,  the 
former  of  which  are  oily  and  sweet.  Later  in  the  season,  and 
previous  to  leaving  their  native  regions,  they  feed  principally 
on  various  kinds  of  grass  seeds,  paricularly  those  of  millet  or 
other  allied  species  (Panicums).  If  short  of  other  food,  they 
also  attack  the  ripened  fields  of  barley,  wheat,  and  oats,  in 
which  they  show  their  taste  for  plunder,  and  flock  together 
like  other  blackbirds. 

About  the  middle  of  August,  vast  parties  of  these  birds  enter 
the  states  of  New  York  and  Pennsylvania  on  their  way  south, 
where,  along  the  margins  of  the  large  rivers,  they  find  an 
abundant  means  of  subsistence,  during  their  short  stay,  on  the 
seeds  of  wild  rice  (Zizania).  As  soon  as  the  cool  nights  of 
October  set  in,  and  the  wild  rice  crops  begin  to  fail,  these  birds 
take  their  departure  from  New  Jersey  and  Pennsylvania,  and 
in  their  further  progress  through  the  Southern  States,  they 
congregate  in  large  numbers  in  the  rice  fields,  upon  which 
they  greedily  feed,  and,  before  the  crop  is  gathered,  they  have 
already  made  their  appearance  in  Cuba  and  Jamaica,  where 
they  subsist  on  the  seeds  of  the  Guinea  grass,  (Sorghum,)  and 
become  so  fat  as  truly  to  deserve  the  name  of  "  butter  birds," 
and  arc  highly  esteemed  for  the  table. 

In  a  state  of  captivity,  the  food  of  this  bird,  during  spring  and 
summer,  should  resemble  as  nearly  as  possible  that  of  nature ; 
but  in  winter,  he  may  be  fed  on  rice,  boiled  in  milk,  millet, 
Canary  seeds,  wheaten  bread,  soaked  in  water,  and  minced 
animal  food,  containing  no  seasoning  nor  salt 


THE   RAVEN. 


Synonyms* 


(Vr.-i/.-r  corar, 

CorbiMn, 

Gemein  Rnbe,  Kolkrabe, 

Cuervo, 

Corvo, 

Raven,  Crow,  Corby, 


OK  ORNllK.'l 
Or  THE   FllKM'!!. 

OK  THE  GKHMANS. 

Or  THE  Si'ANIARl):". 

Or  THE  ITALIANS  AND 

PoRTt'OTESK. 
OK  THE   DlUTIHII  AND 

ANULO-A.MKRICANS. 


F  all  birds  which  have  a  convex,  round,  knife-shaped 
bill,  furnished  at  the  base  with  hair  projecting  for- 
wards, in  other  words,  of  all  tha.t  belong  to  the  tribe  of 
crows,  this,  from  the  breadth  of  its  tongue,  is  the  most  easily 
taught  to  imitate  the  human  voice.  On  the  ground,  he  walks 
in  a  stately  manner,  his  motions  exhibiting  a  kind  of  thoughtful 
consideration  almost  amounting  to  gravity.  His  ordinary 
voice  consists  of  a  hoarse  croak,  resembling  the  syllable  crock 
or  crude ;  but  he  frequently  emits  a  note  not  unlike  the  sound 
of  a  sudden  gulp,  or  the  syllable  cluck,  which  he  seems  to  utter 
when  in  a  sportive  mood ;  for,  although  ordinarily  grave,  the 
raven  sometimes  indulges  in  a  frolic,  performing  somersets 


THE    RAVEN. 

and  various  evolutions  in  the  air.  When  divination  formed  a 
portion  of  the  popular  belief  in  Europe,  this  bird  was  held  in 
considerable  repute.  Trouble  was  even  taken  to  study  its 
actions  and  all  the  circumstances  attending  its  flight,  ami  the 
various  modulations  of  its  voice.  Of  these,  sixty-four  dill:  i<  nt 
variations  were  enumerated,  without  including  the  more  deli. 
cate  intonations,  exceedingly  difficult  to  distinguish,  to  detect 
which,  however,  an  excessively  fine  ear  was  requisite,  as  iis 
cry,  crock  and  cruck,  is  so  simple!  Every  distinct  chang- 
its  peculiar  signification,  and  there  were  not  wanting  people 


THE   RAVEN. 

who  studied  to  acquire  this  knowledge,  while  others  carried 
iheir  folly  so  far  as  to  believe  that,  by  eating  the  heart  and 
viscera  of  this  bird,  they  could  acquire  its  prophetic  pow- 

The  raven  ma)'  be  said  to  possess  a  social  disposition ;  for, 
after  the  breeding  season  has  passed,  flocks  are  often  seen  in 
the  northern  parts  of  Europe  and  the  adjacent  islands,  amount- 
ing to  one  or  more  hundreds.  These  birds  can  perceive  an 
object,  as  a  dead  carcass,  at  a  great  distance,  but  that  they  can 
carrion  a  quarter  of  a  mile  off,  we  have  no  satisfactory 


THE    RAVEN. 


79   f 


proof,  neither  need  we  believe  that  they  can;  for  as  we  may 
account  for  the  phenomenon  by  their  sight,  it  is  unnecessary 
to  have  recourse  to  their  other  faculties.  Ravens  have  cha- 
racter in  their  flight,  as  men  have  in  their  walk.  A  poet 
sauntering  by  a  river,  a  conchologist  or  fisherman  hunting  along 
the  shore  for  shells,  a  sportsman  searching  the  woods  and 
fields  for  game,  a  lady  running  home  from  a  shower,  or  a 
gentleman  retreating  from  a  mad  bull,  move  each  in  a  different 
manner,  suiting  the  action  to  the  occasion.  In  like  manner, 
ravens,  as  well  as  other  birds,  might  communicate  intelligence, 
perhaps,  several  miles  distant,  judging  by  the  flight  of  their 
neighbors,  that  they  had  a  prize  in  view.  In  this  way,  a 
system  of  telegraphing  could  be  extended  over  a  large  extent 
of  country,  and  a  great  number  of  birds  might  be  made  to 
assemble  in  a  single  day. 

When  domesticated  and  treated  with  kindness,  the  European 
raven,  as  well  as  our  native  variety,  becomes  attached  to  his 
owner,  and  will  follow  him  about  the  garden  or  house,  with  all 
the  familiarity  of  a  confiding  friend. 


FOOD  AND  MANAGEMENT. 

ALTHOUGH  the  raven  is  omnivorous,  its  chief  food  is  carrion, 
by  which  is  here  meant  the  carcases  of  sheep,  horses,  cattle, 
deer,  and  other  quadrupeds,  dolphins  and  cetaceous  animals  in 
general,  as  well  as  fishes  that  have  been  cast  ashore.  In 
autumn,  it  sometimes  commits  great  havoc  among  grain,  and 
in  spring,  it  occasionally  destroys  young  lambs.  It  has  also 
been  accused  of  killing  diseased  sheep  by  picking  out  their 
eyes ;  but  of  this  there  is  no  satisfactory  evidence.  It  annoys 
the  housewives  sometimes  by  flying  off  with  young  poultry, 
and  especially  by  breaking  and  sucking  eggs  which  the  ducks 
or  hens  may  have  deposited,  as  they  frequently  do,  among  the 
herbage. 

When  these  birds  aie  intended  to  ffy  about,  the  young  must 
be  removed  when  half  fledged,  about  twelve  days  after  they 


80 


THE   RAVEN. 


are  hatched,  and  fed  upon  meat,  snails,  and  earth  worms ;  they 
are  also  accustomed  to  eat  bread  and  roll  steeped  in  milk. 
The  description  of  food  they  seek,  when  at  large,  as  young 
hares,  birds,  eggs,  mice,  young  geese,  chickens,  snails,  pears, 
cherries,  &c.,  renders  them  partly  injurious  and  partly 
beneficial. 

This  bird  can  be  allowed  to  run  at  large,  or  fly  about,  and  if 
reared  from  the  nest,  which  must  be  the  case  if  he  is  to  be 
taught  to  speak,  he  will  return  to  the  place  of  feeding,  upon 
calling  him  JScfc,  the  name  he  usually  bears.  All  glittering 
metal,  especially  gold,  must  be  hidden  from  him,  or  he,  like 
some  other  bipeds,  will  carry  it  off.  To  facilitate  his  speaking, 
or  to  give  his  tongue  greater  freedom,  which  is  necessary  for 
articulate  sounds,  the  tongue  chord  is  sometimes  loosened  with 
the  view  of  increasing  or  heightening  his  powers  of  speech. 
Individuals,  however,  have  been  heard  to  speak  with  an  un- 
loosened tongue.  The  raven  is  naturally  a  long-lived  bird, 
individuals  having  been  known  to  live  up  wan  Is  of  one 
hundred  years. 


PIGEONS. 


THE   ROCK   PIGEON,   OR  WILD   DOVE. 


Synonymes. 


Columba  lirfa, 

Colombo,  Biset  sauvage, 

Holztaube, 

Paloma  toreaz,  Paloma  del  ) 
campo,  $ 

Pombo  bravo, 

Colombo  salvatico, 

Biset,  Wild  Rock  Pigeon, 
W  h  i  te-Rum  ped  Pi  j^eon , 
Rock  Dove,  Wild  Dove, 


Or  ORNITHOLOGISTS. 
OF  THE  FRENCH. 
OF  THE  GERMANS. 

OF  THE  SPANIARDS. 

OF  THE  PORTUGUESE. 
OF  THE  ITALIANS. 

OF  THE  BRITISH  AND 
ANGLO-AMERICANS. 


HE  rock  or  wild  pigeon  of  Europe  is  well  known  as 
the  inhabitant  of  the  pigeon  houses  in  various  parts  of 
the  world,  or  "  dove  cots,"  as  they  are  more  frequently 
called,  buildings  expressly  erected  for  the  purpose  of  contain- 
ing colonies  of  these  birds.    In  this  state,  where  they  enjoy  a 
A    perfect  freedom  of  action,  and  are  nearly  dependant  upon  their 


8:2 


PIGEONS. 


own  exertions  for  support,  they  can  scarcely  bo  called 
"  reclaimed,"  much  less  "  domesticated."  Man,  indeed,  has 
only  taken  advantage  of  certain  habits  peculiar  to  the  species, 
and  bv  the  substitution  of  an  artificial  for  a  real  cavern,  (their 
natural  habitation,)  to  which  the  pigeon  house  may  be  com- 
pared, has  brought  it  into  a  kind  of  voluntary  subjection, 
without  violating,  or  at  least  greatly  infringing  upon  its 
natural  condition,  and  has  rendered  it  subservient  to  his 
benefit  and  use. 


DESCRIPTION. 

IN  its  natural  state,  the  bill  of  this  bird  is  blackish-brown ; 
the  nostril  membrane  red,  sprinkled,  as  it  were,  with  a  white 
powder;  the  irides,  pale  reddish-orange;  the  head  and  throat, 
bluish-grey;  the  sides  of  the  neck  and  upper  part  of  the 
breast  are  dark  lavender-purple,  glossed  with  shades  of  green 
and  purplish-red ;  the  lower  part  of  the  breast,  abdomen,  wing 
coverts,  as  well  as  the  upper  mandible,  bluish-grey,  the  greater 
coverts  and  secondaries  are  barred  with  black,  forming  two  4 


PIGEONS.  83 

broad  and  distinct  bars  across  the  closed  wings ;  the  lower  par 
of  the  back  is  white ;  the  rump  and  tail  coverts,  bluish-grey ;  the 
tail,  deep-grey,  with  a  broad  black  bar  at  the  end  ;  the  legs  and 
feet  are  purplish-red;  the  wings,  when  closed,  reach  within 
Lai  fan  inch  of  the  end  of  the  tail. 


ORIGEN  OF  FANCY  PIGEONS  AND  THE  COMMON 
HOUSE  DOVE. 

IT  is  from  the  wild  rock  pigeon,  (C.  livia,')  that  all  those 
numerous  varieties,  or,  as  they  are  frequently  termed,  "  races,' 
of  the  common  inhabitants  of  the  dove  cot  have  descended 
which  arc  so  highly  prized,  and  fostered  with  such  care  anc 
attention  by  the  fancier,  or  amateur  breeder;  for,  however 
diversified  their  forms,  colors,  or  peculiarity  of  habit  may  be 
they  are  all  considered  as  having  originated  from  a  few  acci- 
dental varieties  of  the  common  house  pigeon,  and  not  from  any 
cross  of  that  bird  with  other  species,  no  signs  nor  marks 
whatever  of  such  being  apparent  in  any  variety  known  to  us. 
In  fact,  the  greater  part  of  them  owe  their  existence  to  the 
interference  and  art  of  man ;  for,  by  separating  from  the  wild 
rock  pigeon,  such  accidental  varieties  as  have  occasionally 
occurred,  by  subjecting  them  to  captivity  and  familiarisation, 
and  by  assorting  and  pairing  them  together,  as  fancy  or 
caprice  suggested,  he  has,  at  intervals,  generated  all  the 
various  races,  and  peculiar  casts,  which,  it  is  well  known, 
when  once  produced,  may  be  perpetuated  for  an  indefinite 
period,  by  being  kept  separate  from,  and  unmixed  with,  others ; 
or,  in  other  words,  what  is  commonly  termed  breeding 
"  in-arid-in." 

Indeed,  the  fact,  that  all  the  varieties,  however  much  they 
may  differ  in  color,  size,  or  other  particulars,  if  permitted, 
breed  freely  and  indiscriminately  with  each  other,  and  produce    | 
a  progeny  equally  prolific,  is  another  and  a  convincing  proof 
of  their  common  and  self-same  origin ;  for  it  is  one  of  those    j 
universal  laws  of  nature,  which,  if  once  set  aside  or  not   j 


84  TIG  EONS. 

enforced,  would  plunge  all  animated  matter  into  indescribable 
confusion,  that  the  offspring  produced  by  the  intercourse  of 
different,  (that  is,  distinct  species,)  is  incapable  of  further 
increase.  That  such  an  intercourse  may  be  effected,  is  \\vll 
known;  but  it  is  generally  under  peculiar  or  artificial  circum- 
stances, and  rarely  when  the  animals,  birds,  or  whatever  they 
may  be,  are  in  their  natural  state,  and  in  a  condition  to  make 
their  own  election.  Thus  it  is  in  the  crosses  obtained  in  a 
state  of  confinement,  between  the  Canary  and  goldfinch, 
linnet,  &c.  But  in  all  these  instances,  the  progeny  are 
invariably  "mules,"  and  as  a  general  rule,  are  incapable  of 
further  production;  for  although  they  may  exhibit  the  passions 
natural  to  the  sexes,  and  the  females  may  produce  eggs, 
which,  in  general,  even  with  extreme  care,  are  found  addled 
and  incapable  of  being  hatched.  Such,  I  may  add,  is  the  case 
with  hybrids  of  some  of  the  crosses  themselves ;  for  the  mongrel 
progeny  of  the  wild  turtle  dove,  (Tur/ur  communis,*)  of  Europe, 
with  the  turtle  of  the  aviary,  (T.  risoria,")  has  jeen  proved,  by 
frequent  experiments,  to  be  barren,  although  the  two  species 
whence  it  originated  appear  to  be  closely  allied,  and  a  mixed 
breed  is  easily  procured;  and  such  I  am  justified  in  saying, 
would  be  the  event,  if  a  cross  could  be  obtained  between  the 
rock  pigeon,  (Columba  lima,)  and  the  European  wood  pigeon, 
(C.  anas,)  or  stock  dove,  as  it  is  improperly  called,  or  with  the 
ring  pigeon,  (C.  palumbus,)  or  any  other  species. 


VARIETIES. 

To  describe  or  particularise  all  the  varieties  possessed  by 
fanciers,  would  require  a  volume  in  itself;  as,  in  addition  to  the 
permai,ent  races,  or  those  which,  when  kept  pure,  transmit 
their  likeness  to  their  offspring,  there  are  intermediate  casts 
produced  by  particular  crosses  between  individuals  belonging 
to  the  different  varieties,  and  which,  though  h'ghly  prized  in 
the  first  generation,  are  not  considered  v- >rthy  of  further 
extension ;  as  their  progeny  cannot  be  depended  upon,  but  are 


PIGEONS.  85 

! 

found  to  degenerate,  and  are  liable  to  run  into  still  more 
distant  and  less-valued  races. 

Among  the  numerous  varieties  kept  in  aviaries  by  fanciers, 
which  are  deemed  worthy  of  being  perpetuated  by  breeding 
distinct,  'he  following  are  held  in  particular  esteem  •-• 


THE  BROAD  OR  FAN-TAILED  SHAKER. 

This  beautiful  variety  of  the  pigeon  tribe  receives  the  name 
of  "  fan-tail,"  from  its  habit  of  spreading  out  the  feathers  of  its 
tail  like  a  turkey  cock,  (for  the  same  reason  it  is  called  Pigeon 
paon  by  the  French,)  and  that  of  "  broad-tailed  shaker"  from  its 
breadth  of  tail,  and  a  peculiar  quivering  motion  of  the  neck, 
which  is  regarded  as  the  attitude  of  courtship.  From  this 
motion,  it  is  also  sometimes  called  by  the  French  Pigeon 
trembleur  paon. 

This  bird  has  a  full  breast,  and  a  short,  handsomely-formed, 
arched  neck,  which  it  carries  in  a  graceful  swan-like  curve. 
Its  tail,  according  to  the  rules  of  the  fancy,  should  consist,  at 
the  least,  of  twenty-four  feathers ;  and  at  the  most,  of  thirty-six, 
which  number  it  should  not  exceed ;  for,  if  the  tail  be  over- 
crowded with  feathers,  the  bird  suffers  it  to  droop,  a  defect 
never  overlooked,  although  the  specimen  may  be  faultless  in 
every  other  respect. 

Fan-tails,  whose  plumage  is  pure  white,  are  more  highly 
prized  than  those  displaying  red,  yellow,  blue,  and  black-pied 
colors;  their  carriage  of  the  neck  and  tail  being  considered  by 
far  the  most  striking  and  elegant. 


86  PIGEONS. 

Some  persons  discriminate  a  variety  which  they  cull  the 
u  narrow-tailed  shaker;"  but  this  is  only  a  degenerate  breed  of 
the  fan-tail,  or  the  result  of  a  cross.  Its  neck  is  shorter  and 
thicker,  back  longer,  and  it  has  not  so  many  tail  feathers  &s  the 
broad-tailed  shaker;  neither  does  it  expand  its  tail  so  fully, but 
keeps  the  feathers  rather  closed  one  over  the  other,  so  as  to 
resemble  a  fan  when  some  little  way  open.  The  color  of  its 
plumage  is  generally  white ;  but  a  few  different  tints,  and 
an  almond  variety,  are  to  be  met  with  occasionally. 

TUMBLERS. 

These  pretty  pigeons  are  so  called  from  their  peculiar  habit 
of  tumbling  backwards  in  the  air  when  on  the  wing;  besides 
which,  they  soar  to  so  great  a  height  as  to  be  almost  lost  to  the 
view;  when  flying,  they  congregate  very  closely  together;  and 
if  they  be  good  birds  and  accustomed  to  each  other,  they  will 
maintain  such  a  compact  flight,  that  a  dozen  may  almost  be 
covered  with  a  large  handkerchief. 

If  the  weather  be  warm  and  bright,  they  may  be  allowed  to 
wing  their  aerial  gambols  for  four  or  five  hours  in  succession ; 
but  care  must  be  taken,  that  no  other  species  of  pigeon  mix 
with  them,  for  if  they  once  become  familiarised  and  fly  with 
others,  they  will  gradually  drop  their  highly-prized  mode  of 
flight,  and  of  course  become  worthless.  They  should  never  be 
let  out  on  a  dull,  heavy,  misty  morning,  nor  when  a  fog  appears 
to  be  rising,  nor  during  a  high  wind;  as  all  such  atmospheric 
variations,  by  causing  desertions  from  their  lofts  tend  to 
diminish  the  stock.  A  hen  tumbler  should  never  be  allowed 
to  fly  while  with  egg. 

The  most  esteemed  tumblers  do  not  somerset  when  swoop- 
ing along,  but  only  when  they  are  beginning  to  rise,  or  when 
coming  down  to  pitch;  and  to  preserve  this,  and  the  high-flying 
properties  in  his  stock,  the  provident  fancier  must  spare  no 
expencein  the  purchase  of  one  or  two  first-rate  birds  that  have 
been  used  to  soaring,  as  they  will  be  of  much  service  in  train- 
ing the  young  ones. 


PIGEONS.  87 

\Vhcn  the  birds  are  accustomed  to  their  houses,  they  may  be 
turned  out  upon  the  wing,  but  only  once  a-day.  A  bright  grey 
morning  is  the  best  time,  especially  for  young  birds;  and  some 
hemp  or  Canary  seeds  must  be  scattered  round  their  cots,  to 
entice  them  in,  when  their  hours  of  liberty  have  expired. 

There  is  a  particularly  fine  variety  of  this  pigeon,  which  is 
called  the  "bald-pated  tumbler,"  denoted  by  the  cut  below, 
from  its  having  a  beautiful  snowy  white  head;  it  has  pearl 
eyes,  and  in  plumage  is  exceedingly  diversified ;  the  tail  and 
flight  feathers,  however,  match  the  head,  which  is  pure  white. 
When  a  tumbler,  either  of  a  black  or  blue  color,  has  a  long 
dash  of  white  from  the  under  jaw  and  cheek  to  a  little  way 
down  the  throat,  it  is  called  a  "  black"  or  "  blue-bearded"  bird. 


BAUi-PATED   TUMBLER. 


as  the  color  may  be ;  and  if  this  beard  be  well  shaped,  and  the 
bird  be  clean  in  the  tail  and  flight,  as  before  described,  it  may 
be  reckoned  very  handsome  and  valuable.  When  these 
pigeons  are  dashing  along  in  the  brilliant  sunshine,  the  lively 
contrast  of  their  feathers  adds  much  to  the  vivacity  of  their 
appearance. 

There  is  another  and  still  more  beautiful  variety  of  this 
breed,  called  by  some  fanciers  the  "  ermine  tumbler,"  but 
which  is  generally  known  by  the  name  of  the  "  almond 
tumbler."  It  is  an  extremely  elegant,  and  highly-prized 
variety,  and  is  derived  from  common  tumblers  judiciously 
matched;  as  yellows,  duns,  whites,  black-splashed,  black- 
frizzled,  «&c.,  so  as  to  sort  the  feathers. 


88  PIGEONS. 

When  in  perfection,  tumblers  are  esteemed  by  many  persons 
to  be  the  prettiest  of  all  the  pigeon  tribe;  and  this  high  opinion 
is  borne  out  by  the  beautiful  diversity  of  their  colors,  which 
are  so  elegant  and  rich,  in  some  birds,  that  they  have  been 
compared  to  a  bed  of  tulips.  The  more  they  arc  variegated  in 
the  flight  and  tail,  especially  if  the  ground  color  be  yellow,  the 
more  they  are  prized ;  and  a  fine  bright-yellow  ground  has  the 
precedence  of  all  others,  from  its  being  so  exceedingly  difficult 
to  acquire,  that  twenty  light-colored  birds  may  be  procured  for 
one  displaying  a  deep,  richly-tinted  ground. 


THE  CARRIER, 

The  carrier,  Pigeon  de  Turquie,  of  the  French,  is  somewhat 
larger  than  most  of  the  common  pigeons;  its  feathers  lie  \-  r\ 
close  and  smooth,  and  its  neck  is  long  and  straight.  From  the 
lower  part  of  the  head  to  the  middle  of  the  upper  chap,  there  is 
a  lump  of  white,  naked,  fungous-looking  flesh,  which  is  denom- 
inated the  "wattle;"  this,  in  good  birds,  is  met  by  two  small 
swellings  of  similar  flesh,  which  rise  on  each  side  of  the  under 
chap ;  and  if  this  flesh  be  of  blackish  color,  the  bird  is  con- 
sidered very  valuable.  The  circle  round  the  black  pupil  of  the 
eye  is  usually  of  a  brick-dust-red  color;  but  if  it  be  of  a 
brilliant  red  tint,  it  adds  considerably  to  the  value  of  the  bird  ; 
this  circle  is  surrounded  by  another  of  naked  fungous  flesh, 
generally  about  the  breadth  of  a  half  eagle,  the  greater  the 
breadth  of  which,  the  more  it  is  admired.  When  the  incrusted 


PIGEONS.  89 

flesh  round  the  eye  is  very  thick  and  broad,  it  shows  that 
the  pigeon  will  prove  a  good  breeder,  and  will  rear  fine 
young  ones. 

The  properties  attributed  to  the  carrier,  and  prized  by 
fanciers,  are  three  in  the  head,  three  in  the  eye,  three  in  the 
wattle,  and  three  in  the  beak.  The  properties  of  the  head  con- 
sist in  its  being  flat,  long,  and  straight;  for  instance,  if  the^head 
be  very  long,  narrow,  and  flat,  it  is  reckoned,  in  shape,  perfect; 
if  the  contrary,  it  is  termed  a  "  barrel  head."  The  properties 
of  the  wattle  of  the  eye  are  its  breadth  and  circular,  uni- 
form shape ;  for,  if  one  part  appear  to  be  more  scanty  than 
another,  it  is  termed  "  pinch-eyed ;"  and  is  of  comparative  little 
value;  while,  if  it  be  full,  even,  and  free  from  irregularities,  it 
forms  a  "  rose  eye,"  and  is  highly  prized.  The  wattle  should 
be  wide  across  the  beak,  short  from  the  head  to  the  point  of 
the  beak,  and  lean  a  little  forward  from  the  head ;  as  the  bird 
is  said  to  be  "  peg-wattled"  if  it  lie  flat.  The  beak  must  be 
black,  long,  straight,  and  thick ;  if  it  be  an  inch  and  a  half  in 
length,  it  is  considered  a  long  beak,  but  it  must  never  measure 
less  than  an  inch  and  a  quarter;  if  the  beak  be  crooked,  (hook- 
beaked,)  or  spindle-beaked,  the  value  of  the  bird  is  much 
diminished.  This  variety,  in  general,  is  either  dun  or  black  in 
color,  although  white,  blue-splashed,  and  pied  specimens 
occur ;  the  black  and  dun  birds  are  usually  the  most  perfect 
in  their  properties;  but  as  the  blues,  whites,  and  pieds  are 
very  rare,  even  inferior  birds  of  these  colors  are  of  consider- 
value. 

THE  HORSEMAN. 

Many  fanciers  suppose  the  "  horseman "  to  be  a  cross 
breed,  either  between  a  tumbler  and  a  carrier,  or  a  pouter 
and  a  carrier,  and  then  again  bred  from  a  carrier.  In 
shape,  it  resembles  the  carrier,  but  it  is  smaller  in  all  its 
proportions;  its  body  being  less,  its  neck  shorter  and  the 
fungous-looking  flesh  round  its  eyes  not  exuberant,  so  that 
there  is  a  greater  space  between  the  wattle  on  the  beak,  than 
that  round  the  eye. 


PIGEONS. 


The  most  approved  colors  for  this  variety  of  pigecn  are  the 
blue,  and  blue-pied,  as  they  are  usually  the  best  breed-  TS. 
They  should  be  flown  twice  a-day  regularly,  when  young;  and 
as  they  gain  strength  on  the  wing,  they  should  be  allowed  to 


TUB   HORSEXAX. 


range  loose,  without  any  other  birds  in  company.  This 
variety  is  the  kind  generally  employed  in  currying  letters ;  the 
genuine  carriers  being  much  too  scarce  and  valuable  to  be 
commonly  used. 


THE  POUTER. 

All  pigeons,  as  is  well  known,  have  the  capability  of  in- 
flating their  crops  with  air;  and  a  fine  pigeon,  with  breast 
feathers  glossed  with  metallic  tints,  strutting  and  bowing,  with 
an  inflated  crop,  around  his  mate,  presents  no  uninteresting 
spectacle;  but  this  remark  will  not  apply  to  this  bird.  In 
the  "  English  pouter,"  or  "  pouting  horseman,"  there  is  nothing 


PIGEONS.  91     s  ' 

pleasing  in  its  appearance  nor  graceful  in  its  proportions; 
indeed,  the  inflation  of  the  voluminous  crop,  rendering  an  erect, 
stiff,  and  apparently  constrained  attitude  necessary,  gives  an 
aspect  of  distortion,  or  a  want  of  a  due  balance  of  parts. 

The  pouter  is  of  large  size,  often  measuring  eighteen  inches 
in  length  from  the  tip  of  the  beak  to  the  end  of  the  tail.  The 
chest  is  not  really  voluminous,  though  it  appears  enormous 
when  the  crop  is  distended  with  air;  the  back  is  concave,  and 
the  tail  ample;  the  tarsi  are  very  long,  and  covered  with  downy 
feathers.  These  pigeons  are  of  various  colors,  as  blue,  rufous, 
pied,  or  altogether  white.  Those  birds  which  are  tall,  erect, 
with  a  very  ample  crop,  and  with  the  colors  of  the  plumage 
regularly  disposed,  and  according  to  certain  fancy  rules,  arc 
esteemed  the  most  valuable. 

The  pouter  is  formed  by  a  cross  between  the  "dragon"  and 
the  "  old  Dutch  cropper,"  which  latter  bird,  except  in  the 
development  of  the  crop,  (whence  its  name,)  had  nothing  to 
recommend  it.  From  this  intermixture,  not  without  much  care 
and  expense,  has  resulted  this  favorite  variety.  The  flight  of 
the  pouter  is  buoyant,  but  not  rapid,  nor  capable  of  being  long 
sustained.  As  varieties  of  the  pouter,  or  rather  as  breeds 
allied  to  it,  may  be  mentioned  the  "  uploper  "  and  the  "  Parisian 
pouter,"  said  to  be  a  beautifully-marked  bird ;  but  with  these, 
I  have  no  personal  acquaintance. 

Pouters  arc  very  expensive  birds  to  rear,  as  the  strain  will 
soon  become  degenerate.  As  the  old  birds  pay  little  attention 
1o  the  wants  of  their  young,  it  frequently  happens  that  the  tiny 
creatures  are  starved  to  death.  Careful  fanciers,  therefore,  never 
allow  them  to  hatch  their  own  eggs,  but  shift  them  as  soon  as 
they  are  deposited  under  a  hen  "dragoon,"  th'it  has  lately 
laid ;  and  place  the  eggs  of  the  latter  bird  under  the  pouter,  in 
order  that  she  may  commence  incubation ;  otherwise,  she  will 
lay  again  in  a  short  time,  which,  often  repeated,  would,  in  all 
probability,  kill  her.  Every  pouter  must  be  kept  by  itself 
during  the  winter  season;  and  their  coops  must  be  lofty,  so 
that  they  may  not  acquire  a  stooping  habit,  which  is  a  very 
,  b  great  fault.  In  the  spring,  every  pair  of  pouters  must  have 


92  PIGEONS. 

two  pair  of  dragoons  to  tend  and  feed  them ;  but  care  must  be 
taken  that  the  dragoons  are  kept  in  a  loft  separate  from  the 
pouters,  as  otherwise,  a  cross  breed  would  probably  be  the 
result,  and  the  stock  become  degenerate. 

Pouting  horsemen  are  not  so  much  in  repute  as  formerly, 
the  **  almond  tumblers  "  having  almost  superseded  them. 


THE  DRAGOON,  OR  DRAGON. 

Dragons  are  bred  between  a  tumbler  and  a  horseman ;  and 
by  frequently  crossing  them  with  the  horseman,  they  acquire 
much  strength  and  swiftness.  They  are  exceedingly  good 
breeders  and  kind  nurses,  and  are,  therefore,  often  kept  as 
feeders  for  rearing  young  Leghorn  "  runts,"  pouters,  &c. 

The  dragon  is  somewhat  lighter  and  smaller  than  the  horse- 
man ;  and  one  of  its  chief  beauties  consists  in  the  straightness 
of  the  top  of  its  skull  with  that  of  its  beak,  which,  according  to 
the  rules  of  the  fancy,  should  form  almost  a  horizontal  line. 
These  birds  should  be  flown  and  trained  while  young,  in  the 
same  way  as  the  horsemen,  which  they  arc  considered  to 
surpass  in  swiftness,  in  short  flights  of  from  ten  to  twenty 
miles ;  but  in  longer  distances,  if  the  horsemen  be  well  bred, 
they  will  far  outstrip  the  dragoon.- 

THE  JACOBIN. 

This  pigeon,  often  called  a  "  Jack,"  is,  when  perfect  in  its 
properties,  extremely  rare.  The  real  Jacobin  is  a  very  small 
bird,  and  the  smaller  it  is,  the  more  valuable ;  it  has  on  the 


PIGEONS.  93 

hinder  part  of  its  head,  inclining  towards  the  neck,  a  range 
of  inverted  feathers,  in  appearance  like  the  cowl,  or  cap,  of  a 
monk ;  and  from  this  peculiarity,  it  receives  the  sobriquet  of 
"  Jacobin,"  or  "  capper."  These  feathers  are  technically  termed 
the  "hood,"  and  if  they  grow  compact  and  close  to  the  head, 
they  enhance  the  value  of  the  bird  considerably ;  the  lower 
part  of  tho  hood  is  called  the  "  chain,"  and  the  feathers  com- 
posing it  should  be  long  and  thick. 


THE   JACOBIN. 


A  small  head,  very  small  spindle-shaped  beak,  and  beauti- 
fully clean,  pearl  eyes  are  other  properties  of  this  little  pet. 
Yellow,  red,  blue,  and  black  are  the  colors  usually  bred,  and 
in  point  of  color,  the  yellow  birds  are  preferred  before  all 
others ;  however,  let  the  color  of  the  body  be  what  it  may, 
according  to  the  rules  of  the  fancy,  the  tail,  flight,  and  head 
must  invariably  be  white;  sometimes  the  legs  and  feet  are 
covered  with  feathers. 

THE  CAPUCHIN. 

In  its  properties,  this  variety  js  closely  allied  to  the  Jacobin, 
and  is,  by  some  fanciers,  considered  a  cross  between  that  breed 
and  some  other  kind.  It  has  a  longer  beak,  and  is  altogether  a 
larger  bird,  than  the  Jacobin ;  its  hood  is  extremely  pretty,  but 
it  lacks  the  chain. 

THE  MAWMET. 

The  Mahomet,  commonly  corrupted  to  "  Mawmet,"  is  a  beau- 
tiful  cream-colored  bird,  with  bars  of  black  across  its  wings ; 


94  PIGEON'S. 

although  the  surface  of  its  feathers  is  of  a  cream-color,  the  part 
next  the  body,  the  flue  feathers,  and  even  the  skin,  are  of  a  dark 
sooty  tint;  it  is  about  the  size  of  a  "  turbit,"  but  it  has  in  place 
of  a  frill,  a  fine  gullet,  with  a  seam  of  beautiful  feathers ;  its 
head  is  thick  and  short,  and  its  eyes  orange-color,  surrounded 
by  a  small,  naked  circle  of  black  flesh ;  it  has  a  little  black 
wattle  on  its  beak,  which  is  short  and  stout,  and  somewhat 
resembles  that  of  a  bulfmch. 


THE  BARB. 

This  variety  was  originally  brought  from  Barbary.  In  size, 
it  is  somewhat  larger  than  the  Jacobin ;  it  has  a  short,  thick 
beak,  a  small  wattle,  and  a  circle  of  thick,  naked,  incrustrd 
flesh  round  its  eyes ;  the  wider  this  circle  of  flesh  spreads  round 
the  eye,  and  the  more  brilliant  its  color,  the  more  the  binl  is 
prized ;  the  circle  is  narrow,  at  first,  and  is  not  fully  developed 
until  the  bird  is  three  or  four  years  old. 

The  plumage  of  the  Barb  is  usually  dun  or  black ;  but  there 
are  pied  birds  of  both  colors;  these  last  are  held  in  little  esti- 
mation, as  they  are  supposed  to  be  only  half  bred ;  when  the 
pinion  feathers  are  dark,  the  irides  of  its  eyes  are  pearl  color ; 
but  when  the  pinions  are  white,  the  irides  arc  red.  Some  of 
these  birds  are  ornamented  with  a  tuft  of  feathers  rising  from 
the  back  part  of  the  crown  of  the  head. 

THE  TURBIT. 

This  variety  is  somewhat  larger  than  the  Jacobin.  Its  head 
is  round,  and  beak  short;  from  the  breast  grows  a  tuft  of  fea- 


-488 

PIGEONS.  95     * 

thers  named  the  "  purle,"  spreading  in  opposite  directkus,  like 
the  frill  of  a  shirt ;  and  from  the  beak  to  the  purle  reaches 
the  gullet. 

The  colors  of  this  pigeon  are  mostly  yellow,  dun,  red,  blue, 
and  black;  and  accasionally  chequered.  According  to  the 
fancy,  the  back  of  the  wings  and  tail  should  conrespond  in 
color,  except  in  lb<».  yellow  and  red  birds,  whose  tails  should 
be  white.  A  stripe  of  black  should  cross  the  wings  of  the 
blue  birds,  but  the  other  body  and  flight  feathers  should  be 
white;  they  are  germed  "black-shouldered,"  or  "blue-shoul- 
dered," as  their  color  may  be ;  and  when  of  one  color  only, 


THE   TURDIT. 


these  pigeons  have  been  sold  as  "owls."  Turbits  are  also 
chosen  for  the  shortness  of  their  beaks,  and  their  spreading 
"purle;"  and  if  well-trained,  when  young,  they  will  become 
excellent  flyers. 

THE  NUN. 

The  nun  is  greatly  admired,  from  the  elegantly  contrasting 
colors  of  its  plumage.    Its  body  is  generally  white,  and  its  tail 
and  six  flight  feathers  of  its  wings  should  be  either  wholly  red, 
vivid  yellow,  or  black,  as  likewise  its  head,  which  is  adorned 
and  nearly  covered  by  a  tuft,  or  "  veil,"  of  pure  white  feathers. 
According  to  its  colors,  the  bird  is  termed  a  red,  yellow  or 
black-headed  "  nun,"  as  it  may  happen  to  be;  and  whenever  the 
feathers  vary  from  this  rule,  the  bird  is  termed  "  foul-headed," 
"or  "foul-flighted,"  and  is  greatly  diminished  in  value;  but 
,  ^   with  such  as  frequently  rear  clean-feathered  birds,  as  perfect    i 

• *aa 


96  PIGEONS. 

specimens,  it  is  scarcely  possible  to  obtain  one  entirely  free 
from  foul  feathers.  Smallness  of  head  and  beak,  a  pearl  eye, 
and  largeness  of  veil,  are  desirable  properties  in  this  bird. 

THE  HELMET. 

This  varie.y  is  a  somewhat  larger  bird  than  the  nun.  Its 
head,  tail,  and  flight  are  mostly  of  one  color,  cither  yellow, 
blue,  or  black  tint,  and  the  other  parts  of  the  body  are  generally 
white ;  its  head  bears  a  delicate  tuft  of  feathers,  differing  in 
color  from  the  body,  and  in  form  like  a  helmet.  It  is  a  pretty 
bird,  but  is  not  a  fine  flyer.  It  is  most  useful  as  a  nurse. 

To  the  varieties  already  enumerated,  I  might  add  several 
others,  as  the  "  owl,"  the  "  ruff,"  the  tt  spot,"  the  "  lace,"  the 
"  finnikin,"  and  the  "  Friezland  runt;"  but  these  breeds  are  not 
common,  nor  are  they  generally  held  of  much  account  As 
for  the  French,  Leghorn  and  the  Spanish  "  runts,"  they  arc  not 
to  be  placed  among  the  fancy  varieties,  being  remarkable 
merely  for  their  sfb,  and  are  appopriate  for  the  dove  cot 


FOOD. 

IN  a  state  of  nature,  the  rock  dove  feeds  on  grain  and  seeds 
of  various  kinds,  as  well  as  on  vegetables.  According  to 
Montagu,  it  also  devours  some  kinds  of  snails,  and  is  particu- 
larly fond  of  the  Helix  virgata. 

In  a  state  of  confinement  or  familiarisation,  these  birds  are 
fond  of  almost  every  kind  of  grain,  but  old  tares  are  found,  by 
experience,  to  be  the  best  for  them ;  horse  beans,  particularly 
the  smaller  sorts,  as  small  ticks,  are  considered  next  to  tares  in 
point  of  nutritive  properties;  oats,  barley,  wheat,  and  peas, 
may  be  given  occasionally,  and  will  be  found  wholesome 
varieties  of  diet  Pigeons  are  very  fond  of  rape,  hemp  and 
Canary  seeds,  which,  however,  should  only  be  given  occasion- 
ally ;  and  new  tares  should  especially  be  given  to  young  birds 
very  sparingly.  Many  fanciers  make  a  composition  of  salt, 


PIGEONS.  97 


lime  mortar,  and  a  little  clay,  mixed  with  spicy  seeds,  as 
caraway,  which  they  allow  their  pigeons  to  feed  upon  at  will. 

The  seed  may  be  scattered  on  the  floor  amongst  the  gravel, 
although  many  persons  recommend  little  contrivances  to  put  it 
in.  on  the  score  of  keeping  it  cleaner  and  better. 


DOMESTIC  ACCOMMODATION  AND  MANAGEMENT. 

FAMILIARISED,  or  fancy  pigeons  are  generally  confined  in 
aviaries,  or  lodged  in  appropriate  buildings  attached  to  or  near 
the  house  of  the  breeder,  in  order  that  they  may  be  regularly 
and  easily  fed,  cleansed,  and  duly  attended  to  in  all  matters 
having  reference  to  their  condition  and  health ;  for  their  natural 
instinct  and  feeling  of  liberty  have  been  so  nearly  effaced,  or 
placed  in  abeyance  by  the  captivity  to  which  they  have  been 
subjected,  for  so  many  generations,  that  they  have  become 
nearly  dependent  upon  man  for  support,  and  have  lost  the 
power  or  capability,  even  when  allowed  to  fly  at  large,  of 
looking  for  and  finding  their  own  food. 

In  these  buildings,  it  is  common  to  erect  a  certain  number  of 
boxes,  or  divisions,  against  the  walls  or  sides,  each  calculated 
to  accommodate  a  pair  of  pigeons,  with  their  nest  and  young. 
They  succeed  best  when  separate  and  distinct  from  each  other, 
with  a  small  platform,  and  an  entrance  just  large  enough  to 
admit  the  bird ;  as  when  disposed  in  a  continuous  row,  and 
open  in  front,  they  are  apt  to  interfere  with  each  other,  and, 
by  their  jealousies  and  contentions,  prevent  the  due  increase 
of  eggs  and  young. 

The  most  common  shape  for  a  pigeon  house  is  the  one  repre- 
sented in  the  succeeding  illustration,  but  the  form  is  immaterial. 
It  is,  however,  necessary  that  the  holes  should  be  large  enough 
for  the  birds  to  turn  round  in  with  ease ;  and  there  should  be  in 
front  shelves  and  partitions  of  from  seven  to  nine  inches  in 
depth,  so  as  to  keep  the  couples  apart,  and  afford  them  resting 
places ;  and  two  holes  for  each  couple,  between  each  partition, 
will  be  desirable.  The  cot  should  be  fixed  where  it  will  be 


PIGEONS. 


kin/1  I  r»  i  M  1     4  *-w 


screened  from  cold  winds,  which  are  extremely  prejudicial  to 
the  birds ;  a  southern  or  south-western  aspect  should,  therefore, 
if  possible,  be  chosen ;  visits  from  cats  and  rats  must  also  be 
carefully  guarded  against 


PIGEON  HOUSE. 


If  the  young  fancier  be  enabled  to  lit  up  a  loft  over  a  stable, 
or  other  out-building,  for  a  pigeon  house,  the  best  arrangement 


&K 


PIGEON   LOFT. 


he  can  adopt  is  that  shown  in  the  above  illustration.  The 
means  for  exit  and  re-entrance  must  be  first  thought  of;  and 
if  there  be  no  window  in  the  loft,  two  holes  must  be  made  in 
the  wall,  at  about  five  feet  from  the  floor,  each  sufficiently 
large  to  admit  a  pigeon  easily ;  a  shelf  should  be  fastened  on 
the  inside,  and  another  on  the  outside,  of  the  said  apertures ;  on 


PIGEONS.  99 

this  latter  shelf,  a  trap,  or  "aene,"  should  be  affixed,  the 
intent  and  purposes  of  which  I  shall  presently  explain.  At 
the  upper  part  of  the  loft,  rough  branches  should  be  placed  as 
perches  in  the  manner  shown  in  the  representation.  At  about 
four  feet  from  the  floor,  breeding  boxes,  according  to  the 
number  of  birds  intended  to  be  kept,  should  be  securely  fixed 
to  the  wall,  care  being  taken  to  protect  them  from  rats,  &c. 

Some  fanciers  furnish  their  boxes  with  little  earthenware 
pans,  or  small  baskets,  for  the  birds  to  deposit  their  eggs  in ; 
although  the  eggs  are  not  so  likely  to  be  broken  in  the  baskets 
as  in  the  pans,  the  latter,  if  supplied  with  straw,  are  cleaner 
than  the  baskets ;  the  pans  should  vary  in  dimensions,  accord- 
ing to  the  class  of  pigeon  for  which  they  are  designed.  It  is 
well  to  put  two  of  these  receptacles  in  each  little  room,  as  the 
hens  frequently  go  to  the  nest  again  when  their  broods  are 
about  three  weeks  old,  leaving  them  to  the  care  of  their  mates. 
Instead  of  egg  boxes,  shelves  partitioned  off,  and  having 
sliding  fronts  for  the  convenience  of  cleaning,  are  used;  if  the 
young  fancier  intend  to  keep  "  pouters,"  the  shelves  should  be 
fourteen  inches  in  breadth,  and  at  least  twenty  inches  apart,  so 
that  the  birds  may  not  acquire  the  habit  of  stooping,  which 
depreciates  their  value. 

As  pigeons  drink  differently  from  most  other  birds,  that  is, 
by  taking  a  long-continued  draught,  like  cattle,  a  fountain,  or 
large-bottomed  glass  bottle,  with  a  tolerably  long  neck,  for  water, 
should  be  provided  for  their  house ;  it  should  be  placed  on  a 
small  three-legged  stool,  so  that  its  mouth  may  incline  into  an 
earthenware  pan,  into  which  the  water  will  trickle  slowly,  and 
cease  when  it  reaches  the  level  of  the  mouth  of  the  bottle,  and  a 
continued  supply  of  fresh  water  thus  be  kept  up;  two  or  three 
bricks  will  serve  instead  of  a  stool,  to  give  tbs  bottle  the  neces- 
sary elevation. 

To  insure  the  thriving  of  the  birds,  the  loft  and  shelves 
should  be  kept  clean,  and  gravel  strown  on  the  floor;  indeed, 
gravel  must  on  no  account  be  omitted,  as  pigeons  are  exceed- 
ingly fond  of  pecking  it. 

The  "aerie"  before  mentioned,  which  is  fastened  on  the 


100 


PIGEONS. 


shelf  outside  of  the  loft,  is  a  trap  made  of  laths.  It  has  two  sides 
and  a  front  only,  the  wall  of  the  loft  forming  the  back ;  the 
front  and  sides  act  upon  hinges,  so  that  they  may  be  thrown 


AERIE   OPEN. 

open,  and  laid  flat  on  the  platform,  as  hi  the  above  figure 
A,  Bt  C ,  and  on  the  upper  parts  of  these  flaps  are  fastened 
strings,  united  to  a  single  string  in  the  middle  of  the  trap ;  the 
string  is  carried  over  the  swivel  £,  at  the  top  of  the  machine, 
to  a  hiding  place,  whence  the  owner  can  see  all  that  passes, 
and  when  a  bird  alights  within  the  aerie,  he  jerks  the  string, 
the  flaps  are  elevated,  and  the  bird  is  immediately  a  prisoner. 
The  acric,  when  shut,  presents  the  appearance  shown  in  the 
following  illustration.  This  kind  of  trap  is  used  not  only  by 


AERIE    CLOSED. 


fanciers,  but  by  amateurs ;  and  is  an  important  appendage  to 
the  loft,  both  as  a  means  of  self-defence  to  secure  strays  and 
to  shut  in  their  own  birds.  Among  amateur  fanciers,  the  first- 
mentioned  purpose  is  to  secure  valuable  and  favorite  breeds 
.  from  being  deteriorated  through  stray  birds  of  no  value  pairing 


PIGEOXS.  V    ,        '.Kjfl 


with  them.    When  any  strays  are  taken'  inJthtf  irap', 
killed  for   the  table,  unless  called  for  and  claimed  ~oy 
owners,  within  twenty-four  hours  after  their  capture,  and  a 
trifling  sum  may  then  be  demanded  for  trappage. 

To  ensure  the  purity  of  any  particular  kind,  the  young  males, 
as  soon  a&  they  show  symptoms  of  maturity,  which  may  be 
known  by  particular  gesticulations  and  their  cooing  notes,  are 
placed  apart  in  a  chamber  appropriated  for  the  purpose,  with  a 
female  of  the  same  variety.  Here  they  remain  till  a  mutual 
attachment  has  taken  place,  after  which,  they  may  be  returned 
to  the  general  aviary,  or  dove  house;  for,  when  once  an 
alliance  is  effected,  it  generally  continues  undissolved  and 
inviolate  till  the  death  or  removal  of  one  of  the  parties;  on 
which  account  many  different  varieties  may  be  kept  in  the 
same  aviary,  or  associated  together  in  one  building,  without 
much  apprehension  of  having  a  contaminated  breed. 

For  mating,  or  coupling  pigeons,  it  is  a  good  plan  to  build 
two  cots,  divided  only  by"  a  lath  partition,  by  which  means  the 
birds  will  see  each  other,  and  may  feed  out  of  the  same  little 
vessels  ;  when,  by  giving  them  plenty  of  hemp  seed,  they  will 
soon  be  fit  for  mating.  When  the  hen  sweeps  her  tail,  put  her 
in  the  cock's  pen,  and  they  will  readily  agree.  Where  it  is 
not  convenient  to  make  this  probationary  pen,  and  you  are 
obliged  to  place  them  both  in  one  coop,  put  the  cock  in  a  few 
days  before  his  mate,  that  he  may  get  accustomed  to  it,  and 
feel  himself  master,  especially  if  the  hen  be  high  spirited;  else 
they  will  quarrel  so  fiercely,  that  their  disputes  will  terminate 
in  a  total  dislike  to  one  another. 

When  the  pigeons  are  comfortably  matched,  allow  them  the 
full  run  of  the  loft,  to  select  a  nest  for  themselves  ;  or  choose  a 
nest  for  them,  and  inclose  them  in  it  for  several  days,  by  means 
of  a  slight  lath  railing,  giving  them  an  abundant  supply  of 
food  and  water  during  the  whole  time.  Both  male  and  female 
engage  in  the  construction  of  the  nest,  and  relieve  each  other 
in  the  task  of  incubation.  Two  eggs  only  are  laid,  and  the 
young  are  hatched  blind,  naked,  and  helpless,  and  sedulously 
fed  and  cherished  by  both  parents.  Several  pairs  of  young  1 
_  ---  4$a 


PIGEONS. 


a"  reared  'during  llie  se'ason.  The  young  are  fed  for  some 
days'afler  exclusion  from  the  egg,  not  on  grain,  nor  insects,  but 
upon  a  peculiar  lacteous  secretion,  or  curd-like  matter,  which 
is  poured  out  from  a  series  of  glands  in  the  crop  both  of  the 
male  and  female,  which  glands  develope  themselves  into 
activity  by  a  mysterious  law  at  the  proper  juncture.  This 
lacieous  fluid  is  very  abundant,  and  will  frequently  drip  from 
the  bills  of  the  pigeons  as  they  approach  their  young.  It  is 
thrown  into  the  open  mouths  of  the  nestlings  by  a  kind  of 
exgurgitation,  the  receiving  one  and  the  giver  being  both  in 
agitation.  In  the  course  of  a  few  days,  pulse  or  grain, 
moistened  in  the  crops  of  the  parents  and  mixed  with  this 
lacteous  curdy  fluid,  is  given,  the  secretion  gradually  decreas- 
ing as  it  is  less  and  less  required,  till  at  length  peas,  moistened 
or  macerated  in  the  crop,  are  alone  transferred  into  those  of  the 
young. 

About  the  third  day,  some  of  the  ordinary  food,  after  mace- 
ration in  the  crop,  is  added,  its  proportion  being  increased,  till 
at  length,  when  the  young  quit  the  nest,  it  constitutes  their 
food  entirely. 

Though  fancy  pigeons  are  kept  for  the  sake  of  their  beauty 
and  peculiarities,  the  ordinary  dove-house  pigeon  is  reared 
almost  exclusively  for  the  sake  of  its  flesh,  which  is  accounted 
in  most  countries  a  delicacy.  But  how  far  the  rearing  of  great 
numbers  of  these  birds  is  profitable  in  our  country  may  admit 
of  question;  the  quantity  of  peas,  beans,  and  grain,  which 
even  a  small  flock  will  annually  consume,  is  enormous. 
What,  then,  must  be  the  consumption  of  flocks  of  many 
hundreds? 


DISEASES. 


THE  megrims,  or  epilepsy,  is  an  incurable  disorder,  in  which 
the  pigeon  moves  about  and  flutters  at  random,  with  its  head 
turned,  and  its  bill  resting  upon  its  back. 

If  the  birds  suffer  much  while  moulting,  remove  them  to  a 


PIGEONS.  103 

warm  place,  mix  a  good  quantity  of  hemp  aeed  in  their  ordi- 
nary food,  and  tinge  their  water  with  saffron. 

When  the  birds  are  affected  with  the  wet  roup,  give  them  a 
few  pepper  corns  once  in  three  or  four  days,  and  put  some 
green  rue  in  their  water. 

The  dry  roup  is  a  husky  cough,  arising  from  a  cold ;  when 
three  or  four  cloves  of  garlic  should  be  given  to  the  birds  daily. 

When  your  pigeons  are  infested  with  insects,  fumigate  their 
feathers  thoroughly  with  tobacco. 

The  canker  is  occasioned  by  the  cocks  pecking  each  other, 
which,  as  they  are  extremely  irritable,  they  often  do.  To  cure 
it,  rub  the  part  daily  with  a  mixture  of  burnt  alum  and  honey. 

If  the  incrusted  flesh  round  the  eyes  of  "  carriers,"  "  Barbs," 
or  "horsemen,"  be  injured  or  pecked,  bathe  it  with  salt  water; 
and  if,  in  some  days,  this  remedy  does  not  succeed,  another 
lotion  composed  of  three  drachms  and  a  half  of  alum,  dissolved 
in  two  ounces  of  water  should  be  tried. 

When  "  pouters"  and  "  croppers  "gorge  themselves,  by  over- 
eating, after  Jong  fasting,  put  the  bird,  feet  downward,  into  a  tight 
stocking,  smoothing  up  the  crop  so  that,  overloaded  as  it  is,  it 
may  be  kept  from  hanging  down ;  then  hitch  up  the  stocking  on 
a  nail,  and  keep  the  bird  a  prisoner  until  its  food  is  digested, 
supplying  it  with  a  small  quantity  of  water  occasionally. 
When  the  bird  is  taken  out  of  the  stocking,  it  should  be  put 
into  an  open  coop  or  basket,  and  fed  but  scantily  for  a  while. 

For  lameness,  or  swelled  balls  of  the  feet,  whether  from  cold, 
cuts  with  glas<3,  or  any  accident,  the  most  effectual  application 
is  u  small  qua nSty  of  Venice  turpentine  spread  on  a  piece  of 
brown  paper. 


ft 

-41319 


THE    EUROPEAN    QUAIL. 


Synonymes. 


Tetrao  coturnif, 

Cailks 

Wnchtel, 

Codorniz, 

Qunglia, 

Quail,  Common  Quail, 


Or  ORNITHOLOGISTS. 
Or  THE  FRENCH. 
Or  THE  GERMANS. 
Or  THE  SPANIARDS  AND 

PORTUGUESE. 
Or  THE  ITALIANS. 
Or  THE  BRITISH  AND 

ANGLO-AMERICANS. 


beauty  of  form  and  plumage,  the  song  of 
the  common  quail  of  the  Old  World  is  no  slight  re- 
commendation to  the  amateur.  In  the  breeding  sea- 
son, that  of  the  male  commences  by  repeating  softly,  tones 
resembling  i-erra,  remz,  followed  by  the  word  pieveroie,  uttered 
in  a  bold  tone,  with  the  neck  raised,  the  eyes  shut,  and  the  head 
inclined  on  one  side.  Those  that  repeat  the  last  syllables  ten 
or  twelve  times,  consecutively,  are  the  most  esteemed.  That  of 
the  female  only  consists  of  remz,  rerra,  pupu,  pupu,  the  last  two 
syllables  being  those  by  which  the  male  and  the  female  attract 
one  another's  attention;  when  alarmed  or  angry,  their  cry 
resembles  guilldh!  but  at  other  times,  it  is  only  a  murmur, 
resembling  the  purring  of  a  cat  This  bird  never  sings  when  j^ 
». «*§ 


got • ^g 

THE    EUROPEAN   QUAIL.  105     '  ' 

left  to  run  about  in  a  light  room,  except  during  the  night,  but 
continually  when  in  a  darkened  cage. 

When  wild,  the  quail  is  found  throughout  the  eastern  conti- 
nent. It  is  a  bird  of  passage,  arriving  in  Europe  in  May,  and 
taking  its  departure  at  the  end  of  September. 


THE    EIROl'EAN    QtTAlI  . 


FOOD. 


IN  a  *vild  state,  the  quail  feeds  on  wheat  and  other  corn, 
rape  seed,  millet,  hemp  seed,  and  the  like.  It  also  eats  green 
vegetables,  as  well  as  insects,  and  particularly  ants'  eggs. 

In  the  house,  it  is  fed  on  the  same  food,  adding  bread,  barley 
meal,  mixed  with  milk,  the  universal  paste,  and  occasionally 
salad  or  cabbage,  chopped  up  small,  and,  that  it  may  want 
nothing  to  keep  it  in  health,  plenty  of  river  sand  for  it  to  roll 
in  and  peck  up  grains,  which  assist  its  digestion;  but  this 
sand  must  be  damp,  for  if  dry,  it  will  not  touch  it.  It  drinks  a 

great  deal,  and  the   water,  contrary  to  the  opinion  of  some 

6* 


'  *    106  THE   EUROPEAN   QUAIL. 

persons,  should  be  clear,  and  never  turbid.  It  moults  twice  in 
the  year,  once  in  autumn,  and  again  in  spring;  it  then  requires 
rive*  sand,  and  greater  attention  than  at  other  times. 


BREEDING. 


THE  quail  breeds  very  late,  never  before  July.  Its  nest,  if  it 
can  be  called  so,  is  a  hole  scratched  in  the  earth,  in  which  it 
lays  from  ten  to  fourteen  bluish-white  eggs,  with  large  brown 
spots.  These  are  hatched  after  three  weeks'  incubation.  The 
young  ones,  all  hairy,  follow  the  mother  the  moment  they  leave 
the  shell.  Their  feathers  grow  quickly,  for  in  the  autumn  thcv 
are  able  to  depart  with  her  to  the  southern  countries.  The 
mains  arc  so  ardent,  that  if  one  is  placed  in  a  room  with  a 
female,  he  will  pursue  her  immediately  with  extraordinary 
cajii-niess,  tearing  off  her  feathers  if  she  resist  in  tho  least ;  he 
is  less  violent  if  he  has  been  in  the  same  room  with  her  during 
the  year.  The  female,  in  this  case,  lay  a  great  many  eggs 
but  rarely  sits  on  them ;  yet  if  young  ones  are  brought  her 
from  the  field,  she  eagerly  receives  them  under  her  wings 
and  becomes  a  very  affectionate  mother  to  them.  The  young 
must  be  fed  on  eggs,  boiled  hard  and  cut  small,  but  the  best 
way  is  to  take  the  mother  with  the  convoy,  which  may  be  done 
with  a  net.  She  watches  over  them  attentively,  nnd  they  are 
more  easily  reared.  During  the  first  year,  one  would  think 
that  all  the  convoy  were  females,  the  males  resemble  them  so 
much,  particularly  before  the  brown  shows  itself  on  the  throat. 

The  adult  female,  however,  differs  very  sensibly  from  the 
male ;  her  throat  is  white,  and  her  breast  paler,  and  spotted 
with  black,  like  that  of  the  throat. 

MANAGEMENT. 

IN  the  house,  if  allowed  to  range,  its  gentleness,  neatness,  anil 
peculiar  motions  are  seen  to  advantage ;  but  it  is  often  kept  in 
a  cage  of  the  following  make : — 


THE   EUROPEAN   QUAIL.  107 

A  small  box,  two  feet  long,  one  foot  deep,  and  four  high,  of  any 
shape  which  is  preferred ;  in  this  are  left  two  or  three  openings, 
one  for  drinking  at,  the  other  to  give  light;  besides  this  all  is 
dark;  the  bottom  is  a  drawer,  which  should  be  covered  with 
sand,  and  have  a  seed  drawer  at  one  end ;  the  top  is  of  green 
cloth;  for  as  the  quail  often  springs  up  it  would  hurt  itself  were 
it  of  wood.  The  case  should  be  suspended  during  the  summer 
outside  the  window,  for  the  quail  sings  much  more  when  con- 
fined in  this  manner  than  if  allowed  to  range  the  room,  where 
there  are  many  things  to  call  off  its  attention  from  its  song. 


AMERICAN  ROSE  CULTURIST; 

BEING   A 

PRACTICAL    TKKATISE 

ox  Tax 
PROPAGATION,     CTLTIVATION.     A  \  H      Ml\AGEMENl 

or 
THE     ROSE 

Of    ALL    SEASONS  J    WITH   A   LIST   OF   CHOICE   AND   APPROVED 

ADAPTED   TO   THi   CLIMATE   OF   T1IK    UNITKD    STATE*  • 

TO   IttlUU   AP.I  ADDED 

FULL  DIRECTIONS  FOR  TIJE  TREATMENT  Q* 

THE    DAHLIA. 

Illustrated    by   Engraving*. 


.. 

•  No  flovrnr  that  blowa 

•  .lira  th«  ROM,  nor  sealUn  «och  ptrfora*  * 

NEW- YORK : 
ORANGE    JUDD    &    COMPANY, 


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